iL-.j£SSiii^i 




Class 'ly^ 

Book 



/- 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

AND HOW TO USE THEM 

\ MANUAL OF FAXCY WORK 

BY 

JANE FARE 

CONTAINING DIRECTIONS FOR 

EMBROIDERING PAINTING MODELLING 
CARVING Etc 



CHICAGO AND NEW YORK: 
BELFOKD, CLARKE & CO. 

1887 



A 






ll»b ^ 



ov 



copyright: 

BELFORD, CLARKE .t CO. 

1887. 



INTKODUCTION. 



I LIKE the old-fashioned term "fancy-work," 
because it is such a true word. To many a woman 
whose life is, of necessity, spent chiefly in the pur- 
suit of very prosaic and wearing duties, the paint- 
ing of a tile, the working or knitting of a bit of 
lace, the copying of a flower in silk or worsted, 
is, indeed, fancy work. It is a little opening into 
the ideal world, which does her untold good, and 
which serves to brighten and cheer long days of 
j^ain sewing, sweeping, dusting, etc. 

In preparing this manual, my aim has been to 
give such a variety of directions and hints, that 
something may be found to suit every taste. ' And 
while I have endeavored, at the risk of being 
blamed for undue prolixity, to make my direc- 
tions extremely plain and practical, I have tried 
to make them also suggestive, I hope this book 
may be to many a guide post pointing on to 
pleasant fields not described in it. 

I have tried to make my directions thoroughly 
reliable, having, in most instances, verified them 
as I wrote. As far as possible, I have avoided 
technical terms, thinking simplicity desirable. I 
am particularly indebted to Mrs. Glaister's book 
on Art Embroidery, to the Art Interchange, and 
to Mr. C. G-. Lelaad, of th© Philadelphia Industrial 



4 WTRODirCTlON. 

School, who very kindly responded to my request 
for information. 

The chapters on Decorative Design, Repoiissee 
Work, Leather Work, and Papier - Mache, derive 
most of their authority from the writings of the 
latter gentleman. I would advise any one inter- 
ested in these subjects to consult Mr. Leland's 
Manuals, which are written with an enthusiasm 
and clearness most inspiring. 

Much care has been exercised in selecting the 
illustrations, none being given which cannot easily 
be understood by the aid of the directions. 

In conclusion, I would beg my readers to bear 
in mind that success in any wo-rk, whether deco- 
rative or otherwise, cannot be achieved at once. 
The old adage, "Make haste slowly," has lost 
none of its force. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Introduction 3 

Decorative Design 7 

Embroidery 13 

Painting in Oils 56 

Flower Painting in AVater Colors 64 

Kensington and Lustra Painting 69 

Stencilling 74 

AVood Carving 80 

Modelling in Clay 80 

Casting in Plaster ■ 89 

Modelling in Gutta-Percha 97 

China Painting 103 

Leather Work and Papier Mache 125 

Repoussiie Work 14'^ 

To Transfer Patterns 150 

Netting 153 

Guipure d' Art 1^6 

Drawn Thread Work 1''^'^ 

Macrame 1"! 

Crochet 206 

Knitting 245 

Odds and Ends 289 

(5) 



DECORATIVE DESIGN. 



I fear many will look at the lieadiug of this chapter 
with the feeliug that it, at least, will be of no value to 
them. But I would ask them to pause before they turn 
to what they will probably call the more practical parts 
of this manual; for the subject treated here lies at the 
very foundation of any work Ave may wish to do with 
needles and brushes. 

J would like to impress upon all who wish to perfect 
tJKMnselves in decorative work the advantage of learnijig 
to draw and adapt, even if they do not invent their own 
designs. And this is a much easier thing to do than 
niiuy think. I well remember the semi-despair tliat 
seized me when taking my first lesson in china painting, 
at being told by my instructor to draw what I wanted to 
l);iint. However, I found that by combining one or two 
flowers together, I had made what seemed then to me a, 
very pretty design. And I have often thought that was 
about the most valuable lesson I ever received, for it 
showed me what could be done by effort, and encour- 
aged me to depend on myself instead of on tracing 
l)a|)er. So much for a personal experience. Let me 
quote a high authority on this subject, Mr. Leland, of 
tiie Philadelphia Industrial School. In his "Manual of 
Drawing and Decorative Design" (a most suggestive 
and helpful pamphlet), he says: 

"The first thing for the x)npil to do is to become famil- 
iar with the lead pencil. I say the lead pencil — thougli 
if a black-board is accessible, it is to be insisted on that 

7 



i imEDLE8 AND BRUSHES 

all that is done with the pencil shall also be practised with 
chalk. Free-hand drawing cannot be too free. Tlie 
hand, practised to sweep boldly yet steadily in spirals, 
circles and curves, can be trained in a short time to a 
rapidity of execution and an unerring accuracy whicli 
seem miraculous to many. Let us consider how this is 
to be acquired. The beginner should take a lead pencil, 
not too soft, an H. or H. B. (Imrd or medium) will do. 
Practice for some days on a ground-glass slate, sucli as 
costs from twenfcy-five to fifty cents, tracing the outline 
pictures which are sold with such slates In trac- 
ing the outline pictures draw very slowly indeed at first. 
. . '. . Draw with the point of the lead, not with its 

side After practising on tbe slate until you feel 

familiar with the pencil, get some transparent paper, 
through which an ordinary outline picture can be plainly 
seen. Now trace with increased care." 

When the mastery of the pencil, has been so far at- 
tained that you can draw a. firm hut light sweeping line, 
you can begin copying good outline sketches, say a sim- 
l)le spray of leaves. The next step may be taken by ar- 
ranging the leaves in a circle, or along a line of con- 
struction formed by drawing semi-circles or segments 
of circles alternately above and below a horizontal line. 
If you find dif&culty in doing this, cut your leaves out in 
paper and arrange them on your construction line. 
Trace the outlines, and repeat. Inclose the design thus 
formed within parallel lines and the result will be a de- 
sign for a border. For a centre piece you would need a 
different method. Draw a circle or ellipse of the size 
required. Draw horizontal and perpendicular diameters 
tiirough this, and arrange your leaves on these lines, or 
else arrange them in a wreath on the curved line. Mr. 
Leland recommends a little affair, made somewhat on the 
\)rinciple of a kaleidoscope to help in getting the idea of 
syinmetrical and i>leasiDg combinations. 



And sow to use them. 9 

*' Obtain two strips of looking glass, each two inches 
wide and six inches long. Paste their backs on a single 
piece of tough paper, or muslin, which may just be brought 
over the edge to ijreveut cutting. Do this so that the 
glasses will open and shut like a portfolio. Now take 
auy small drawing of any kind whatever, an outline 
sketch of a leaf being the best, stand the glasses up- 
right at an equal | angle, antl i)ut the small design 
between them. By the figure formed by the reflections 
it may be seen tluit any design., however meaningless or ir- 
regular, becomes syimjietrical as a part when it is accurately 
repeated in union with itself." 

Practice drawing a spiral line, for it, in varied combi- 
nation, is tlie foundation of graceful design. "The first 
step after repeating simple designs, is to evolve the off- 
shoots or transcendental curves, or long V's from a 
spiral." 

Study of a good, conventional design with an endeavor 
to discover its "motive " or foundation line will aid one 
much in forming combinations of their own. 

The same general directions will aid one in forming 
less conventional designs. Study beautiful forms in 
nature. If you cannot copy them directly from the 
object, draw them from good outlines, using tracing 
pai)er if necessary. It will not be long before you 
throw aside this aid, and trust to your own resources. 
And as your power over your pencil grows, your in- 
terest in your work will also grow. Magazines and 
papers will constantly yield you new suggestions. A 
portfolio or box will soon be needed to contain your 
collection of " hints." Nature even will acquire a new 
interest to you. Copy, whenever you can, anything that 
strikes you as really good. Your taste will be educated 
in the process. By no means neglect to make copies of 
letters, either quaint or pretty. Your reading will soon 
be taxed for the benefit of your new pursuit. To say 



10. - ITEEDLWS and BRlf3H£!B., 

notliingof books bearing directlj^ on the subject, such a« 
the works of Owen Jonen, Whewell, Dusser, etc., quaint 
or peculiarly appropriate mottoes will be seized on with 
avidity, either suggesting a design or illustrating ont^ 
already in hand. 

But in designing you must bear in mind the fact that 
you must work alwa^'s within certain limitations. Abso- 
lute imitation of nature is impossible in decorative art. 
It is one of the principles most to be insisted on, tliat 
decoration is not picture making. It must not detract 
from the original usefulness of the object decorated. It 
also must be limited by the material in which the design 
is to be executed. Thus, in needle-work, the character- 
istic outlines of a flower are all that should be attempted. 
In workiug a pink or a corn-flower, for instance, it would 
be folly to imitate closely the notched edges of the pet- 
als. The fact that they are serrated can be indicated by 
a few lines. In like manner the veins should be sug- 
gested rather than closely copied. 

Agaiujthe design should be clear and free. Leaves 
which are naturally crowded and overlap each other 
should be so far conventionalized as to lie flat and dis- 
tinct. While we may alter the arrangement of leaves 
and flowers to suit our purpose to a certain degree, we 
must remember that the character of the plant form 
must always be maintained. We may make a trailing or 
wreath-like design of the ivy, rose, or blackberry, be- 
cause nature herself suggests such a use. But a wreath 
formed of tulips, daffodils, or calla-lilies would be a sad 
mistake. The upright flowers, are, however, very useful 
for such purposes as borders, mantel balances, etc.; but 
when thus used, the flowers should always be supported 
and bound together, in a manner, by one or more hori- 
zontal lines of decorative work. If for a border, lines 
above as well as below the design serve to emphasize it 
and throw it out. The same effect is produced by work- 



AND MOW TO USE TEEM. U 

ing the design on a separate strip of material and apply- 
ing it to the piece of work to be decorated. 

I have dwelt a little at length on this subject because 
so many of the decorative arts are dependent on it. In 
fact, T doubt if any ever attain too much excellence in 
certain departments of ornamental work, without finding, 
through much tribulation, that they must learn to draw. 

One caution in closing. Do not, until you have prac- 
tised for a long time, attempt to draw from memory. 
Have the form which is the foundation of your design 
before you, remembering always that no matter how 
much you may conventionalize that form, the character- 
istics of the original must be preserved. 

Let me add a word of encouragement taken from the 
Manual quoted above. "If a beginner can only draw a 
line half an inch long, in a clean, well-defined manner, 
and with confidence, he may hope to do anything in art," 
and " My own experience warrants me in declaring that 
grown-up i^eople learn to draw much more rapidly than 
children, since they have better memories, stronger will, 
and far more perseverance." 



EMBROIDERY. 



In selecting materials for embroidery it is well to re- 
member tbat, as this kind of work is very durable, tlie 
best are always the cheapest. 

The foundations usually employed are linens of vari- 
ous makes, including crash, Bolton sheeting (:in English 
fabric whose place can be supplied here by iin unbleached 
cotton knit called Wamsutta twill), Momie cloth, both 
in wool and cotton, canton flannel, serge, felt, satin, vel- 
vet and plush. 

The materials with which the work is done are as 
varied. Marking cotton, crewels, the many varieties of 
embroidery silk, arrasene (a kind of chenille), gold and 
silver thread, and bullion, are all nsed. 

In planning apiece of work there are several things to 
be taken into consideration. The use for which the arti- 
cle is designed must govern largely the choice of the 
material. It would be absurd to use silk or velvet for a 
bureau cover, or crash for a banner screen. For this- 
reason the tidies, which have been so fashionable of late, 
forivod of squares of painted satin, set together with 
lace always strike me as in bad taste. Darned net, 
drawn work, fine linen sketched with indelible ink or 
worked in outline, would make equally dainty tidies, 
while the fact that they can be easily laundried makes 
their name seem no longer a misnomer. Again, the ma- 
terial with which we work must be adapted to the foun- 
dation. Crewel would be out of place on handsome silks 
and satins, but is very suitable for all the varieties of 



AKD HOW TO USE THEM. 



13 



linen, cotton, and woollen goods. A judicious use of a 
few stitches of silk will often add wonderfully to the 
brilliancy of crewel work. 

Filofloss and etching silks are both admirable for work- 
ing outline designs on linen. 

Etching silk works best when you use it as it comes 
from the spool: that is, thread your needle before cut- 




rig. 1. 



ting ofip the silk. Used in this way, it is not so apt to 
untwist or knot. 

There are quite a number of stitches employed in em- 
broidery, but only a few are generally used. Of these 



14 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



the most important is wliat is generally called outline or 
stem stitcli. It is extremely simple, beiug merely a kind 
of back-stitch, which can easily be understood from the 
designs in this stitch— as in Figs. 1 and 2. Very tine 
lines are sometimes worked in what is called split stitch, 
in which the needle is brought out so as to split tbe 
thread instead of coming to one side. The main beauty 




Fig. 



of outline work consists in the design, which should be 
well studied and drawn, and in the perfect neatness of 
the execution. Although a diversity of colors are some- 
times employed, as a rule, one or two shades of a single 
color will give the most satisfactory results. It is very 
important in outline work to keep the stitches as far as 
possible of the same length, and to follow the outline ex- 



AKD HOW TO USE THEM. li 

actly. An irregular, waving line has as disagreeable an 
effect as a weak hue iu drawing. Judgment also must 
be exercised in turning corners, working foliage, etc. 
The distance must be measured with the eye, and the 
stitches so adjusted as to avoid a sudden shortening or 
lengthening of the stitch. Care must be taken, too, to 
have the outline lie perfectly flat. Too loose a stitch 
will give a slovenly appearance; too tight a one will 
draw up the material. Always work with a short thread, 
as otherwise the silk or crewel will iuevitablj'^ become 
rough. Avoid making knots iu the back; a little prac« 
tice will enable one to begin and end a line so as to look 
neatly in the back. Never work with too small a needle, 
as it will drag the material, and produce an unpleasant 
effect. A Kensington needle is the proper one to use. 

One great advantage which outline Avork ijossesses is 
Its adaptability to so many articles of e very-day use, and 
the good results which are attainable with a compara- 
tively slight expenditure of time and money. For out- 
line work the less expensive materials should be selected 
for foundations. e 

A good piece of work to begin with is a set of d'oylies, 
for which designs like Fig. 1 are well adapted. They 
may be worked in linen sheeting— that a yard and a half 
in width cuts to the best advantage. For a dozen 
d'oylies you will need half a yard and one inch. It is 
far better always to shrink washing material before 
working it. This is best done by washing it in hot suds, 
rinsing it through two waters, and then boiling it for ten 
or fifteen minutes. Rinse again iu cold water, dry, and 
iron until it is perfectly smooth. Cut by a thread into 
small squares, a quarter of a yard each way. They 
should be fringed all around about seven-eighths of an 
inch deep, but it is best to do this fringing when the 
rest of the work is completed. The edges of the d'oylies 
should be hemstitched, so as to hold the fringe iu plaee. A 



10 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

narrow Tjorder of drawn work, the directions for wliich 
will be found under the head of drawn Avork, will be a 
great improvement. 

Having transferred the pattern (which in case of the 
fans should be placed in the corner, according to one 
of the methods given elsewhere), the next question is, 
" With what shall it be worked ? " If the linen is heavy 
crewels may be used, although a better effect will be 
obtained by using etching silk or filoselle, a kind of 
silk which is inexpensive, works easily, and has the 
merit of not fading. Marking cotton is also sometimes 
used. As to color, that must be left, in great part, to 
the taste of the worker. Monochrome, that is, work in 
one or more shades of a single color, is always a safe, 
and to many tastes, the more truly artistic treatment. 
If, however, several colors are used, one rule is imi)era- 
tive, never use more than three bright shades. The 
more sober tints may be used in greater profusion. 

Outline embroidery can be varied by using it in con- 
nection with applique work. For a watch pocket or 
small banner screen for a lamj), the design could be 
worked in outline on silk, then cut out and appliqued 
on a piece of felt, the edges being button-holed or chain- 
stitched with gold thread. 

As an instance of what may be done in this way, I 
quote a description of a tidy which an eminent authority 
on decorative work describes as " simple and unassum- 
ing, but in its way artistic." 

" One of these was a long strip of Momie cloth, in- 
tended to be thrown over the back of a sofa. On this 
three ducks were worked in outline in brown crewel. 
They were standing on a brown ground, which was rei^re- 
sented by a piece of brown cloth, applied to the gray; 
in one corner, up above the ducks, was a large, very 
much conventionalized sun, manufactured out of yellow 
cloth, and the rays worked from it in yellow silk." 



akd how to use them. ir 

TD^aigns for outline \rork may be found in great num- 
bers in tlie periodicals of the day. " St. Nicholas is," as 
an enthusiastic young friend once said, " a perfect 
mine ! " 

Powdered designs have been very popular. In this 
style of work a plant form is taken as the foundation of 
the design, and varieties of this form are scattered ap- 
parently carelessly over the entire material. Take the 
rose as an instance. Here will be a leaf, there again a 
small spray ; a rose— single, for double flowers are out of 
place in outline work — or perhaps a bud, will be worked 
at seemingly irregular distances; but these must all be 
arranged carefully so as to balance one another, and pre- 
sent a harmonious effect. It is just the difference be- 
tween disorder and "pleasing confusion." 

Lately a modification of this design, called "crackle 
work," has become popular. In this work the powdered 
fliowers, leaves, or fruit, are connected by straight lines 
meeting each other at various angles. I saw at the 
rooms of the Society of Decorative Art, the other day, a 
set of charming doileys, worked in shades of silk in this 
way: They were worked on exquisitely fine linen, and 
bordered with drawn work. Bureau and buffet scarfs 
may be decorated in this way, either by working the 
crackle work over the entire surface, or with a border of 
work at either end. Care should be taken not to draw 
the lines too closely together, as boldness is an essential 
in these designs. The idea, like so much of our decora- 
tion, comes from Japan, and is said to have been sugges- 
ted by^the effect produced by plum blossoms, nipped by 
a late frost, falling on thin and cracked ice. It is an 
illustration of how Nature, closely studied, will reward 
her votaries with many an unexpected gift. 
- A useful present for a gentleman is a pipe rack. It is 
made of a piece of linen lined with some brightly colored 
silk, and suspended from the wall by three ribbon loops. 



tg NEEDLES AND BRUSUm 

At the top outline two interlaced pipes, and below, qtiite 
in tlie centre, fasten on a band of some stiff material, di- 
vided into compartments by rows of strong stitching. 

To protect a handsome sofa pillow, a charming and 
serviceable cover can be made of a square of linen, edged 
with lace, and bordered below the hem with a drawn 
work desigu. Divide the centre into smaller squares by 
bands of drawn work. Powder the small squares with 
tiny clover blossoms aud sprays. A good effect is some- 
times produced by working the blossoms solidly (direc- 
tions for which work will be found in the chapter on that 
subject) and outlining the leaves. 

Bands of Turkey red or blue denim, form good back- 
grounds for etchings, in white linen floss. The band 
can be feather-stitched on fine unbleached crash. Kate 
Greenaway figures are very appropriate. Sometimes 
two of these bands are used, the space between being 
finished in drawn work, or in darned work in red or blue 
washing cotton. 

A tea tray cloth is a pretty addition to the tea table, 
and is also useful when the tea tray is brought into the 
parlor. They may be made like scarfs, worked only at 
the ends, or designs can be worked in the corners or the 
centre. Drawn work is often used iu these cloths. Ap- 
propriate designs are cups and saucers, tea-pots, etc. 
Decorative patterns should be sketched on the cups, 
etc. Floral and geometrical designs are also used. 
Those who do not venture on designing, may find dam- 
ask tea-cloths aud doileys with pretty woven borders. 
B3^ outlining the pattern in silk, a handsome set may 
easily be furnished. 

A case for a night dress may be made of gray or 
creamy linen. Divide the lower half of the front into 
two panels by a row of ornamental stitches. In the left- 
hand division draw a figure in night clothes, candle in 
hand, and yawning. In the second a reclining form, 



AND EOW TO USE TEEM. 19 

"Vrlth pillowed head aud closed eyes, with insects, bee- 
tles, moths, etc., whiiliDg- in the air. On the flap, out- 
line in Eoman letters, or in simple round text, "To 
sleep, perchance to dream." Finish with a bow of rib- 
bon. Or the case, which is made in the shape of a large 
envelope, might be powdered with poppies and their 
leaves. 

A bed-spread may be made of the same material (the 
cream color being preferable), decorated with an outline 
design of poppies powdered over the material, flowers, 
seed vessels and foliage all being used nnd connected 
together by conventional or flowing stem work. Indian 
red is a good color in which to work this. The Egyptian 
water lily or lotos is also emblematical of sleep, and may 
be used in the same way. Dull blues would be ap])ro- 
priate for this design. Pillow shams should be made to 
match. Should this seem too great an undertaking, the 
decoration of the spread could be limited to a diagonal 
band of proper width, defined by rows of chain or outline 
stitch, the space within the band being powdered as de- 
scribed, or the flowers and foliage could be formed into 
a continuous design, more or less conventional. 

Here is an idea for another counterpane, say for a 
crib. Divide the linen into squares with some pretty 
fancy .stitch, working in the centre of each square a 
flower, or one of tlfe many appropriate pictures to be 
found in the Kate Greenaway books or in Walter Crane's 
"Baby Opera." You need not reproduce every line; 
only those that are necessary to tell the story com- 
pletely. 

A screen is often a useful piece of furniture. Here is 
a description of a simple one, suitable for a bedroom or 
nursery. The frame should be a firm one, and can be 
made by any carpenter of pine wood. It can be either 
ebonized by staining it with a solution of logwood, and 
afterwards applying ^vinegar in which iron has been 



20 



NEEDLE 8 AND BRUSHES 



lying for some time, and rubbed to a dull surface after 
it bas been treated to a coat of varnisb ; or it can be 
painted black and decorated with a few dashes of gold 
paint in a vague Japanese style. For tbe screen itself, 
use unbleached muslin. Having measured it to fit the 

screen, put on a dado of dark 
blue cambric, proportioning 
it duly to the height. On 
the upper part, sketch a Jap- 
anese group, such as you can 
find on many of the advertis- 
ing cards and fans. Or, if 
this seems beyond you, pow- 
der the blue muslin sparingly 
with outline plum blossoms 
(you will find a suggestion in 
Fig. 3), and run a branch up 
beyond the dado in the man- 
ner of the illustration alluded 
to. 

Fig. 4 is a screen in which 
the work is of rather a novel 
character, being a combina- 
tion of painting and embroid- 
ery, and is much more quickly 
worked than one would think. 
Sketch the design, enlarged 
to suit your screen, on the 
material, which in the original is olive satin, making 
the outline delicate. Have your work stretched firmly 
in an embroidery frame, which may be made on the 
same principle as an old-fashioned quilting frame. 
Figs. 4a and 46 give enlarged details which will enable 
the worker to clearly understand the directions. Gold, 
silver, copper, and black i^aints are use<l, mixing them 
wheii they need diluting with gum water. Paint the 




FIg.S. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM 21 

stones, grasses, leaves, flowers, and tbe stalks of the 
cactus in gold, shading lightly with black or copper 
color. Make the thorns of fine strokes of copper color, 
and then worked with a loose lying stitch of moss green 
filoselle or floss. Gold thread can also be used with 
effect. Where there are well-defined leaves as in Fig. 3, 




Fig. ii. 

they are painted in silver and veined witji stitches of 
green. The flowers are worked with two shades of dark 
red in a close satin stitch, the calices being in white or 
yellow. The bird's beak is painted in gold, as also are 
the upper part of the wings, tbe lower feathers being 
j)ainted in silver and bronze, divided by stitches of white 



22 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

silk. The breast is covered with button-hole stitches in 
claret red silk, so worked as to catch into each other, 
imitating the plumage. The upper part of the wing is 
also worked to show the markings of the feathers. The 
long tail feathers are worked in gold thread. 

A cover for a parlor organ can be made of linen, with 
tlie design either worked on a band of blue denim, which 
is afterwards feather-stitched on to the cover, or else 
worked on the material itself. Bars of music with lines 




Eig. 4a. 

and notes in gold silk, and the words "Hal-.e-lu-jah ! 
hal-le-lu-jah ! A-meu ! " worked in the same silk would 
form an appropriate border; or one composed of musical 
instruments, such as lyres, reeds, trumpets, and cymbals, 
intermingled with scrolls, might be used. Symbolic 
flowers, such as the palm, lily, or passion flower, would 
also be appropriate. Finish with a deep hem-stitched 
hem, with a line of open work above, or with a knotted 



AMD BOW TO traS THSM. 39 

fringe in whicli blue and gold silk are mixed with the 
linen threads. Line with deep blue silesia. 

Ohain-stitch is not much used at present; but for some 
j)urposes it is very couveuient. It is made by taking a 




Fig. 4b. 

Btitch from right to left, and before the needle is drawn 
the thread is carried under the point of the needle from 
left to right. The next stitch is taken from the point of 
the loop thus formed forward, and the thread again kept 
under the needle, each link thus forming a link in the 
chain. 

Twisted chain stitch (Fig. 5) is useful for outline work 




Fig. 5. 

on coarse materials suck as felt, and other heavy woolen 



24 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

goods. Instead of beginDing the second stitch inside 
the point of the first, both threads of the first are pushed 
•a little aside, and the needle is inserted about half way 
uj) the first stitch, thus securing a rope-like effect. It 
should be worked with double crewel or tapestry wool. 
It is also very effective worked on gold-faced felt, in 
double silk, and botli cliain stitch and twisted chain are 
useful for edging appliqued jiat terns. 

DARNED WORK. 

In combination with outline stitch, the darned work 
so popular in Queen Anne's time has been revived, and 
is remarkably effective.. The stitch is, as its name im- 
X)lies, the one used in darning cloth or stockings, only 
that it is made purposely irregular, being quite long- 
on the right side and very short on the wrong side. 
It is used not only for backgrounds but also for fill- 
ing in boldly outlined designs. Says a writer in the 
Art Interchange: 

"Judiciously used, it is capable of i^roducing almost 
iridescent effects, and adding greatly to the richness of 
the embroidered work. Done in heavy filoselles — and 
linen takes these admirably — in two shades of one color, 
in two colors, or else in a shade lighter or darker than 
the fabric, it will produce several color effects. The 
colors may be introduced irregularly or alternately, by 
stitches of varying length. A combination of dull green 
or dull gold filoselles, will produce three, if not four 
color effects, according to the ground, and the light in 
which the work is shown; in one light there will be a 
shading of dull green, in another a touch of old gold, in 
a third a glimmer of bronze green. When deeper, fuller 
coloring is employed — for instance, in rich antique blues, 
and old bronze — the changing sheen of peacock's feathers 
will be seen. In two shades of gray silk, silvery and 
steel effects are attainable; in dull pinks and ambers, 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. '"SS 

purple aud citriue, green and russet, pale violet and 
lemon, and other combinations, the ino.st lovely transfor- 
mations are wrought by this simple grounding. AYhere 
darned work is used for tilling iu outlines, the design 
should be so composed that the unworked si)aces may 
present ornamental shapes, for they will attract the eye, 
and hold as im[)ortant a part in the finished work as 
flower aud leaf spaces on a darned background. In 
darning within tlie outlines, it is not necessary- to darn 
the whole composition, though it may thus be treated 
and stand bohlly out on a plain background with artistic 
effect; certain portions all tii rough the design, say the 
blossoms of an apple or cherry design, may be simply 
outlined and veined iu silk or crewel, while the fruit and 
leaves are darned in one or two colors, or shades of color. 
Care must be taken to so distribute the dained or open 
spaces as to avoid striping or spottiness. As it not pos- 
sible to follow nature in round effects by darned work, 
whicli is conventional, it is best to use conventional 
coloring, or else, low tones of the natural color of the 
subject. Liglit grounds look best witli a Avell diffused 
design, and dark grounds well with the design wrought 
in silk of a lighter shade than their own color." 

Tlie Art Amateur thus describes a remarkable ta()Ie- 
cover worked by the Decorative Needle- Work Society 
in Londor) : — 

^ "In looking at the picture, many pei'sons imagine 
that the cloth is embroiderer! with silver; but this is not 
the case, the beautiful, bright effect being ])roduced by 
very simple means. The material is cream satin, and 
the design is outlined in blue and green silks, while the 
ground of the pattern is tilled in with darning, in shades 
of pale gold filoselle, thus leaving the satin to catch the 
lights. The border is of green plush, on which is 
embroidered a handsome antique pattern, harnionizing 
with aud relieving the centre." 



36 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



Pongee is a beautiful material for dariiiug. It is mueh 
used for tidies or chair backs, as they are now called. 




l'ii'iH':i'^;i:;iil'iiiiPiliiiiii;ii!l:i!il!;!JB^ 



An exceedingly pretty one at the Decorative Art Society 
had a border formed by a floral design outlined in pale 



AJTD SOW TO USB Tl^M. 2t 

green, with yellow berries, the background being darned 
ill a darker green. In another, the outlining was done in 
old gold, and the darning in shades running from a dull 
red to pink. 

A remarkably pretty and simple border can be worked 
on fine burlaps in red. Sprays of the sassafras form the 
desigu, which is outlined in a dark red, with a back- 
ground darned in a brighter shade of the same color. 
Tills scarf was fluished with a knotted fringe, while 
above the border was an inch wide strip of drawn work. 
The same idea would be very pretty for a heading for 
curtains. The modern darned work is principally used 
as a background in straight, horizontal stitches, but 
these may be varied according to the inclination or taste 
of the worker. It is sometimes used to represent a 
diapered ground; thus, it may be worked in an open 
diamond pattern. Again, it may be worked in rows of 
circles of either varying or uniform size, or in a succes- 
sion of wave-like lines. Instead of the darning stitches, 
some fancy stitches may be used for filling in a back- 
ground. Water, clouds, etc., are generally rendered by 
darning stitches. 

Fig. 6 is a curtain of Queen Anne's time done in out- 
line with a darned background. A very handsome 
quilt may be worked from the same design on huckaback 
towelling. The easiest way to manage it is to work a 
square for the centre and join side pieces all around. 
The darning stitches have a very fine effect run under 
the threads of the towelling. 

Fig. 7^ives another suggestion for work of this kind, 
showing a different way of filling the background. As 
shown in the illustration, a pleasing variety may be in- 
troduced by filling in the background in one part of the 
work, and the design in another. Very gorgeous effects 
are produced by using gold thread in darning deiigni 
•n huckaback. 



28 



nmedlms ajsd brusewh. 




m-"^' 



A^D HOW TO tfSE TH^JH 29 

FILLED IN EMBROIDERY. 

Under this head a nnmbei- of stitches and various 
modes of treatment are included, but the stitch chiefly 
used is the one already described under the head of out- 
line work, being merely a modification of stem stitch, 
the whole desig'n, however, being- covered with u(^edle- 
work appropriately colored and shaded. Much of this 
work is done in conventional designs, the coloring of 
which is also conventional, but for the beginner the 
semi-realistic or natural designs are much easier and as 
a rule more satisfactory. There are a variety of stitches 
that may be employed in this work, which I will briefly 
describe. Of tliese, one of the most important is feather 
stitch, which is the one generally employed in shading 
flowers, etc. It consists of an alternate long and short 
stitch. The stitches must not, however, terminate in 
regular lines, as this would give a stiff ai)pearauce to 
the work. In working the petals of flowers, you must 
always work from the outer part of the petal toward the 
centre (Fig. 8), and so directing the stitches as to 




follow the lines of the petals. It is a good plan to keep 
two or three needles threaded with the difi'erent shades, 
and work them in as required. It is often a good plan 
to work the whole of a leaf or petal in the shade that is 
predodinantj making the stitches a little .spreadins', so 



30 NXEDLSS AND BRV3HMS 

that the other shades can be worked in afterward. 
When finished, the shades should blend into each other, 
showing no harsh outlines. It is much better to begin 
working in the middle of a leaf or petal, and throw your 
thread to opposite sides of your needle in the two 
halve^. In working leaves, study their formation and 
direct your Avork accordingly. In a chrysanthemum or 
oak leaf, for instance, it is easier to treat each division 
*as a separate leaf, beginning at the top of each and 
working down toward the main stem, so directing your 
stitches meanwhile as to join the parts harmoniously. 
It is an excellent plan to keep a sampler on which t-o 
try stitches and effects of color. In working flowers 
with petals closely set together, as the chrysanthemum, 
corn-flower, etc., it is sometimes necessary to divide the 
l^etals by a line of a darker shade. This should be put 
in the last thing, as otherwise it is liable to be lost in 
tlie work. This holds true of veinings also. It is well 
to remember that needle-work is decorative mainly, and 
should not be elaborated like a painting. Two or three 
shades, are as a rule, sufhcient in leaf or flower, and where 
either is small a single shade may answer. Narrow 
leaves look best worked in satin stitch. The centres of 
many flowers are worked in what is called the French 
knot. It is also used for working the anthers to some 
flowers. To make it, having brought your needle 
through the material at the spot where your knot is to 
be made, wind the thread three times round the ueedJe 
close to the spot where the thread came through. Then 
turn the point of the needle down through the idace 
where it first came up, holding the thread firmly in the 
left hand until it is quite drawn through (Fig. 9). The 
twisted threads must be held very close to the work, or 
the knot will have a loose, untidy appearance. When 
the work is coarse, the thread can be doubled or the 
number of knots increaised. In filled in embroidery, aa 



Ami sew TO USE teem. 



51 



iritYi outlin* work, the materials are very much the 
worker's own choice. Crewels and silks are chiefly 
need for working, and may both be used to great advau- 



r:^-m^^^^S: 




Fig. 9. 

tage in the same piece of work, the design being for the 
'most part worked in crewel, the high lights put iu with 
silk. Fine chenille also can sometimes be used Avith 
great effect, as, for instance, in working golden-rod, 
which can be worked very effectively and expeditiously 
in two shades of yellow chenille. A new thread should 
always be begun on the right side of the work and 
finished there also. 




Wg. 10. 

A very effective stitch for a certain class of de- 
signs is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. It has a great 
number of names, such as leaf stitch, Kensington 
stitch, Janina stitch, etc., etc., and is described in 



32 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 




Kg. 12. 



AND now TO USE THEM. 



33 



Canlfleltl and Saward's "Dictionary of Needlework," 
as Mossonl embroidery. As will be seen by studying tlie 
illustration it is really ar close herring-bone stitch worked 
across the leaves and petals. Commence working at the 
widest end of the leaf or petal, and work across from 




Fig. 13. 



side to side without a break. The stitch, if worked 
properly, produces a plait down the centre which is the 
chief feature of the work. When worked, the design 
should be outlined with rox)e stitch, which is a short stem 
stitch. The outline should be of an uniform color, slightly 
contrasting with the colors used for the design. Thus, 



34 



NEEULES AND BRUSHES 



iftlie design be worked in yellow-greens and brown- 
reds, the outline luigUt be dark peacock blue. Orange 
shades in the design might be outlined with greens or 
russet browns. An appropriate border would be one of 
drawn work using the same silks as were employed for 
the embroidery. This stitch or a modification of it was 
used largely by the Xew England dames of old, and is 
sometimes called from that circumstance, Grandmother's 
stitch. 

A beautiful sofa cushion worked in this stitch, is 
shown in Fig. 13. The pattern for the border is given 
in full size in Fig. 12. 

Another stitch for working narrow leaves is shown in 
Fig. 14. It has, like Jauina stitch, a formal look, and 
should be chiefly used for conventional designs. 




L.... 



Fiff. 14. 



In working the different stitches so far described it 
will sometimes be found that the work is puckered or 
drawn. This is particularly liable to be the case with 
beginners. In some cases it will be sufficient to cover 
llie right side with a clean cloth, and then stretch it 
tightly riglit side down by means of pins on a table, and 
then thoroughly dampen it on the wrong side. If very 
badly wrinkled, it may be advisable to pass a hot flat- 
iron rapidly over the wrong- side. Of course, care must 



AND now TO USIi THEM. 85 

be taken to only dampen, not wet, tlie material. I Iiave 
generally found it most satisfactory to wring a thin cloth 
very tiglitly out of clear water and pin it over the wrong- 
side of the work. If an iron is used great care must 
be taken not to have it too hot, so as to scorch the 
worlv. 

Couching or laid embroidery is chiefly used for eccle- 
siastical or conventional designs, and must be worked in 
a frame. The leaf or petal is first covered with lines 
resembling satin stitch, but lying almost entirely on the 
right side. Over this, lines are laid at regular intervals 
and caught down by a few small stitches from the back. 

Couching can be varied in many ways, either by lay- 
ing the couching lines at different angles, or omitting 
them altogether; the fastening threads can be made to 
form numerous figures, such as diamonds, squares, zig- 
zags, etc. This is called diaper couching'. Gold thread is 
used with great effect in tliis style of work. When the 
couching lines are made of a heavy material, such as 
cord, ribbon, or coarse wools, a stiletto must be used to 
make the holes through which the lines are taken to the 
back of the work. . "^ 

Couching must always be done in a frame. Con- 
venient patented frames can be procured in many cities, 
but very satisfactory ones are made of four i)ieces of 
wood fastened together at the corners by pegs. The 
work is fastened to the end pieces by sewing it to strong 
linen securely attached to the wood. These end pieces 
are then fastened in i>lace bj' means of the pegs, and 
the sideiiof the work tightly and evenly fastened to the 
side pieces of the frame. The work must be very tightly 
stretched or it will soon become difficult to work it 
nicely. Should the material be too light to admit of 
stretching it firmly, stret6h a piece of strong linen, and 
pin the work firmly on it. Both hands are employed when 
working in a frame, one above and the other below the 



36 NEEDLES AND BIiU;^IIE9 

work, and practise will enable you to work with eitlier. 
Care should be taken to keep the frame in such a posi- 
tion that the worker will not be obliged to stoop. 

Very much of the beauty of all varieties of embroidery 
depends on the harmonious arrangement of the colors, 
and this cannot be taught in any manual. To some, the 
color sense seems utterlj^, or in large part, wanting. 
Such can only copy. But with many a few hints will 
start them on the right road. In embroidery, the color- 
ing must always be largely modified by the surroundings 
of the design, the background, etc. While the design 
should always be so far conventionalized as to be per- 
fectly flat, the colors must often be still further conven- 
tionalized. The following remarks from the Art Inter- 
change Manual on "Filled in Embroidery," will prove 
suggestive: — 

" \\\ coloring in decorative embroidery, unity and 
harmony are more desirable than contrast. For a be- 
ginner especially, unity should be the aim; contrasts are 
very fine, but they can only be correctly carried out by 
those who are skilful with the needle, and who have a 
natural talent for, or have had experience in, the use of 
colors. It is better to begin with two shades, and to use 
those correctly, than to attempt the mixture of a vari- 
ety of shades and hues." 

" There can be as well defined unity in coloring as in 
designing an ornamental pattern. One scheme of color 
can run through an entire design. As a flower or leaf in 
the drawing is taken as a centre around which others 
cluster, so a color can be selected as the central point 
to which all the shades must relate. To follow out this 
idea, we will suppose curtains are to be made of a pea- 
cock blue fabric. Blue in this case would be the ruling 
color, and all the greens used in working on it must be 
bluish in hue; if a flower be added to the pattern, it 
must represent the primary in its purity, and no colors 



ANB HOW TO USE TIIEM. 37 

formed of red or yellow must be iutrodiiced. If maroon 
is the grouud toue, the greens must have a russet hue, 
aud the flower must be red. This method of coloriug is 
capable of varied and exquisite treatment." 

Wheu a closer imitation of nature is attempted, the 
natural colors must be used in working- them, and great 
care must be exercised in choosing a background, as 
carelessness in this respect may ruin a piece of work 
otherwise well designed aud wrought out. A friend, 
wishing to ornament a dark blue flannel dress inexpen- 
sively, bethought her of working a simple design in 
crewels on revers and cuffs. She worked a small flower 
in orange shades, and the result was — well, the reverse 
of refined; substituting shades of dark red, her embroid- 
ery became an ornament, as it was intended to be, 
instead of attracting the eye by its "loudness." The 
authority already quoted says on the subject of a back- 
ground: — 

" There are a few other facts in the science of color 
■which can be an assistance in the selection of a back- 
ground. We are told that no 'one color can be viewed 
by the eye without another being created.' This is be- 
cause the eye requires tliat all three primaries should bo 
present; and, when this is not the case, it will of itself 
supply the deficiency. To exemplify this, let us suppose 
we worked a blue pattern on a neutral gray ground. 
The eye, in looking at it, would create the missing red 
and yellow; and as these in combination form orange, 
the grayish ground would have an orange hue. This 
is an important fact, and inattention to it will result in 
very serious defects. We often wonder why a piece of 
work which has for its foundation color black, looks rusty 
or ding3', when we may have taken great pains to select 
a rich, perfect black. Tiie reason is, that if the design 
is worked in blue, orange is reflected on the black; if in 
red, a greeiiisli liueis given; and in yellow, a purp.lisli 



38 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

liue is the result. This difficulty is obviated by select- 
ing for the grouud work a dark sliade of the same color 
as the pattern; and when this is almost invisible, its 
color becomes neutralized by the tiuts thrown upon it, 
and it gives the effect of black. When the pattern is 
variegated in color, this difficulty will not occur." 

Great care must be used in working designs containing 
different colored flowers, to choose such as will harmon- 
ize with each other. The greens of the leaves also must 
be selected with regard to both the background and the 
colors used for the flowers. Thus, yellow and blue 
flowers should have the leaves worked in russets and 
brown-greens. 

In shadiug, as has been intimated, no attempt should 
be made to give a rounded or realistic representation of 
the flower used in the design, but merely an indication 
of the varied shades of color, ns in the rose for instance, 
which often varies from a deei) pink to so delicate a tint 
that it is almost white. Grent care must be taken to 
have whatever shading is employed, worked so that in 
no place can the point wliere one shade begins and an- 
other ends be perceived. In' this matter everything 
depends on the skill and taste of tlie worker. 

It is well in beginning sucli work to undertake only 
small pieces, such as cliair backs, table scarfs, etc., so 
that discouragement may be avoided, and failures may 
not be so disastrous. But to a skilful and x>ersevering 
worker it is Avell worth while to put the time and pains 
into one large piece of work, which is often frittered 
away on a vast number of smaller undertakings. The 
work is so durable, in fact improves so with age, the 
colors becoming mellow with time, tliat an enthusiastic 
work-woman may well feel she is working for posterity, 
as she bendsT)ver her portiere, screen or curtain. 

For convenience sake borders are often worked in 
^trips^ aud afterwards applied to the foniidation. Ib 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 39 

this case a number of fancy stitclies are often emploj^ed, 
not only to conceal the line of junction, but also to 
emphasize the design or to bring into harmony the two 
colors of the strip and the real foundation. Several of 
these stitches are described later on, and many more can 
be found by carefully noticing borders on embroideries, 
china, or any other decorative work. Herringbone and 
coral stitch are both used for this purpose. Mrs. Glaister 
says concerning these stitches: 

" A great deal of the finished effect of all decorative 
needle-work depends on the ax>i)arently unimportant 
lines and borders with which the patterns are bounded 
and kept together— often they have to be put in after 
the work is otherwise finished; a thick line and a thin 
one, a little zigzag or herringbone between two lines, a 
row of dots or sloping stitches beside a line, will often 
make a marvellous difference to the finish and comi)lete- 
ness of a i)attern Avliich witliout them gave a vague dis- 
satisfaction. These lines sometimes serve to give a 
balance of color that was wanting without them. 
Speaking very generally, middle tints of the ornament 
will serve for the color, but if, as happens sometimes, 
the color of flowers is felt to be a little strong in the 
general efl'ect, a few stitclies of their color in the bor- 
dering lines between or beside, say the green of the 
leaves, may greatly improve matters. Lay some threads 
of the worsted or silk you maybe using on the cloth 
beside the. pattern, and you will readilj^ judge the 
effect." 

As I have said at the beginning of this chapter, very 
many more stitches might be enumerated, but they 
would add nothing to the practical value of these 
directions aiul might serve to embarass. Every worker 
in decorative needle-work is at liberty to adapt and 
modify her stitches to suit herself, studying only the 
result she is aiming to produce. 



40 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

As a rule, borders are tbe most desirable decoration 
for table covers, as the folds iuto wliich tliey fall are 
ai)t to break or conceal entirely a corner piece, while a 
group of flowers is apt to be disagreeably obtrusive if 
worked in the middle of each side. Generallj' a square 
table cover is preferable, but I have seen very pretty 
covers fitted to round tables. One of these was of sjige 
green felt, on which were embroidered at equal distances, 




Fig. 14cs. 

on the round piece fitting the top of the table, sprays of 
sim[)le wild-flowers in small vases. The vases were cut 
from black velvet and applied to the cloth, the outline 
and ornamental lines being worked in gold colored silk. 
Almost an3^ book on antiquities will give a good model 
for such vases. The border of the cover was worked in 
a running floral pattern on a straight piece of cloth, and 
sewn on to the tox^. It is well to line this straight piece 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



41 



with a ligbtly quilted piece of tbiu muslin, liaving a 
light piece of wire attached to the lower edge. Fiuish 
with a fringe containiug the colors used in the work, 
Fig. 14rt illustrates a waste-paper basket trimmed with 
a lambrequin or drapery of felt, satin or plush, worked 
with a floral design. The lambrequin is finished with 
a border crocheted in w^ool,from one of the patterns 
given in the chapter on crochet, and with tassels. 







Fig, lib. 



Another stjie of basket, which will be found useful 
for holding newspapers and magazines, is shown in Fig. 
145. The sides are covered with a puffing of silk or 
satin, and decorated with a panel of eitber of these 
materials, on which a floral design is worked or painted. 
An expeditious way is to paint the design in flat tints, 
(that is without shading) in water colors, and to edge 
the outlines with silk in cording stitch. 



42 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

Reference lias been made to applique work. As its 
name implies, the decoration is produced by cutting- the 
design or its main features out in one material, and then 
fastening it on to a ground work. The edges are tlien 
concealed by cliain, button-liole, couching, or someotlier 
fancy stitch. Soraetimss it is advisable to back the 
applique design before fastening on the ground- work, in 
order to insure its being perfectly' flat and unwrinkled. 
In this case the material used for the ground sliould be 
tightly and evenly strained, and the design having been 
traced on the backing material (which should be of un- 
bleached linen evenly stretclied), the cut-out pieces to 
be used in the work are pasted on this linen ground, care 
being taken that the stuff goes in the same direction in 
both the pieces for the design and in the backing. The 
following paste is used for applique work, and also for 
pasting the backs of some pieces of embroidery designed 
for screens, etc. 

Embroidery Paste. 
"Three and a half spoonfuls of flaur, and as much 
powdered resin as will lie on a half penny. Mix 
thoroughly with half a pint of water. Put in one tea- 
spoon essence of cloves, stirring till it boils. Boil for 
five minutes."— Lady Marian Alford's Manual of Em- 
hr older ij. 

A new wa}' of making up a sofa pillow is shown in Fig. 
14c, the covering of which is of plusiL, lined with satin, 
cut about fourteen inches longer than the pillow, and 
contined at either end by a cord and tassel. The decor- 
ation consists of sprays, worked on linen in fUled-in em- 
broidery, and applied to the plush. These sprays can be 
bought ready w^orked. 

When applique designs are cut from plain colored 
material, such as felt or satin, they may be much 



AND HOW TO USE TEEM. 



43 



improved by working' tliem in crewels or silks, veiuing 
tiie leaves, sbading a little, etc. 




Fig He. 



Fig. 14:d illustrates a brush or broom bolder or small 
catcb-all, oriiameuted with a spray of applique work, 
and finished off with gimp, avooI, balls and tassels. The 
way to make these balls is given on under Crochet. 

A quickly executed aud effective kiud of embroidery 
is called Broderie Perse, and is very pretty for table- 
scarfs, bedroom curtains, etc. For a table scarf use a 
good quality of cream-colored linen. You will need 
besides some cretonne in bright, artistic, flower designs, 
together with some filoselles and crewels. From the 
cretonne cut a sufficient number of flowers, and arrange 
them ju a graceful border pattern on the linen, connect- 
ing them with stem lines in pencil. Having arranged 
your pattern, mark lightly round each flower so as to 
insure your rearranging them correctly. Then stretch 
your linen by means of stout pins or thumb-tacks 
smoothly on a drawing-board (the kneadiug-bonrd will 
9-nswer), and with nice smooth starch, jiaste each flower 



44 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



in its place. When tlioronglily dry take the linen off 
the board and buttonhole the cretonne lightly round the 




Fig. 14c?. 



edg-es, having the stitches seen as little as possible. 
Yeining's of leaves, high lights and the deepest shadows 
can be worked in with filoselles, and the stems are 
worked with crewels. Nice cheese-cloth can be decor- 
ated in this way for curtains. As to outline work, the 
present fancy is to work it in conventional colors, using 
three shades of a color. Thus, in a floral design the 
leaA^es are worked in three shades of green, and the 
flowers in shades of blue, pink or any other color. 
Another way of varying this work is by the use of 
"double outline." Instead of working the outline as 
usual, what is generally called Kensington stitch is 
used ; that is, the edge of the flower is done in alternate 
long and short stitches, just as-if the whole flower was 
going to be filled in. The effect is very pleasing. 



AND now TO USE THEM. 



45 



Old fasliionecl or partially \roru out broclie sliawls can 
be used very advaiitageonsly for this applique work, by 
cutting- out the principal figures of the design, and 
applying- them to an appropriate ground-work. 

Very pretty mats can be made of applique work. Use 
burlaps or brown Turkish towelling for the mat, and 




Fig. 15. 



on that apply leaves cut from green, brown, and red 
flannel, or merino. Germautowu wool or zephyr may be 
used to work them. Eitlier powder the mat with the 
leaves or arrange tliem in a set pattern. Button hole them 
down, and work veins, stalks, etc., with long stitches. 
Finish at the ends witli red flannel ornamented with 
Point Ensse stitches, and line the whole with apiece 
of hemp or old Brussels carpeting. I have seen such a 



46 



NEEDLES AND BliUSUES 



mnt, ill, which the colors were well chosen, used to cover 
np ;m unsightly window. On each side was hung a 
brilliant Japanese panel, and the Avhole was crowned 
with Japanese fans, making- a pleasure of what had heeu 
an eyesore. 

Figs. 15 and 16 are designed for screen panels to be 
worked in crewels or silk; or they may be painted. 




Fior. 16. 



Combined, these designs would be very api)ropriate for 
a wall protector, to be worked in outline. 

Embroidery in crewels or silk should be washed in 
bi'an water, and well rinsed. 

Many recommend washing- siks before Avorkiug*. To 
do this they should be cut into leugths and boiled iu 
soft water for tivc minutes, then skimmed out ou to a 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



47 



soft towel to dry; snliicuMit crewels or silks should be 
purchased to last through the work as it is often 
extremely dififtcult to match the shades exactly. 

A very pretty " all over " design for a chair-back or 
tidy is shown in Fig. 17. It can be worked in outline on 
a darned background or in filled in embroideiy. 




¥isc. 17, 

But few patterns are given in this chapter for the 
reason tliat tlie space is too limited to give working 
designs, and new patterns readj^ for working are so 
easily procured. Originality is a great beauty in such 
designs, and when they are met with in a manual, the 
eye soon becomes weary of tliem. 

Perforated patterns witli the materials for stamping 
can now be bought for a mere trifle, and the work done 
from them will prove more satisfactory than when your 
design stares you constantly in the face from the pages 
of a book. 



HOLBEIN STITCH, POINT RUSSE, TICKING WORK, ETC. 
Holbein stitch, so called because this style of or- 
iiaraent is found in Holbein's painting, is in reality only 



48 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 




Tig. 18. 



AND BOW TO USE TtlEM. 



49 



a modification of true Point Rnsse, tlie latter name 
having, however, been applied to a quickly executed and 
sketchy kind of work. In what is generally called Point 
Russe, the patterns are all designed to suit the stitch, 
that is, they have sharp and frequent angles. To work 
it, bring the needle up from the back of the work at one 
end of a line, and put it through to the back at the other 
end. The whole design is thus worked in straight lines. 
If a line is too loug to work neatly with a single stitch, 




f'j^ymwm^v^m' ^ if s i r'ssmiemsimf 











Fig. 19. 



divide it into two or three equal lengths and work each 
division as a single line. 

The peculiarity of all the real Point Eusse is that it 
presents the same appearance on both sides of the work, 
which makes it a very useful stitch for decorating 
towels, and other objects which are seen from both 
sides. Designs for Holbein stitch must always be ar- 
ranged as for cross stitch, and if worked on material in 
Avhich counting the stitches is dififlcult or impossible, 
must be worked over canvas basted on the material. 
The principle on which this stitch is worked, is that of 



50 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



working- ovor two tliioads aii<l under the two following", 
reversing- llie arrangement as you come back. Some- 
times the design is worked so as to present tlie effect of 
ordinary cross stitcli, sometimes tlie stitch follows the 
outlines of a small square. The designs (Figs. 18-20) 







Fiff. 20. 

show in what direction these stitches are to be taken, 
but the principle is always the same; where the thread 
comes on the right side in the first working, it must be 
on the wrong- side in returning-. 
Strong reds and blues are the most appropriate colors 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 51 

for this work, black being- sometimes combined with 
them. Auj' good cross stitch border will give a patterii, 
and as the work is done over threads no stamping- is 
needed. Holbein stitch is generally used in connection 
with drawn work. In fine material baste a piece of can- 
vas on, and work over it, drawing out the threads when 
the work is completed. 

RAILWAY STITOII. 

Designs for this stitch should always be of small 
flowers and leaves, such as daisies, etc., arranged in 
detached sprays. Trace them lightly. Commence to 
work from centre; and make each i)etal with one stitch. 
Bring- the needle up from the back and pnt in close to 
Avhere it came out, holdiiig thread down with left hand, 
and bringing it out at tlie point of tlie i)etal. Draw up, 
making a lojig loop held in centre by the drawn up 
thread. Put the needle down again just outside the 
loop, thus making a very small stitch at the end of the 
l)etal: run the needle out at the middle of the flower, 
and repeat. Finish the centre with French knots or 
button-hole stitch, or pierce Avith a stiletto. The leaves 
shonld be niiide with a single railway stitch. Fig. 21 
shows the manner of working this stitch in connection 




Fig: 21. 

with herring-bone. The centre of the flower is worked 
in French knots. 



52 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

A SHOE BAG. 

Cat two pieces of ticking, one seventeen and a lialf 
inclies long by fifteen wide, tbe other eleven inclies long 
by twenty wide. On tlie longest piece, which is the back 
of the bag, the braid need only be put on for seven or 
eight inches, as the longer x)art is hidden by the front 
piece. Having stitched on red braid on the alternate 
white stripes, work the uncovered white stripes with 
fancy stitches, arranging the colors as follows: — First, 
yellow ; second, brown ; third, green ; fourth , brown ; fifth- 
yellow; sixth, blue. Now begin again with yellow, an(v 
repeat the colors in the same order. 

Work the stripes in herring-bone, feather, and other 
fancy stitclies. Bind the top of the short piece with 
braid, and stitch a i)iece of braid across the bottom of 
the work on tlie longer piece to conceal the raw edges 
of the work. Divide each piece into three equal parts, 
and baste the front to the back at these divisions, stitch- 
ing them firmly down." Then lay the fnlness]]thus formed 
into three box-plaits, forming tliree pockets, and baste 
the bottom eilges together. Bind the whole bag round 
with braid, and make three loops by which to hang it up. 

Handsome cliair and table-covers, bracket and mantel 
draperies, can be made of ticking by using narrow velvet 
and embroider}' silk instead of braid and worsted. For 
a table cover, work a square piece for the centre. The 
border should be worked in long strips, each as long as 
the side of the centre piece, and twice the. width of the 
strip over. Sew the long strips to the centre piece, let- 
ting it project an equal distance at either end. Baste 
the corners together with a slanting seam, which will 
make the border fit perfectly smooth. Cut aAvay the 
superfluous cloth and stitch the seams firmly; cover the 
joining of the border to the centre with velvet, and 
finish the edge with a chenille fringe, or with a row of 
velvet. 



AND HOW TO USE TEEM. 



53 



Catch-all bags made of four pieces, square at the up- 
per eud, and cut to a point at the bottom, are very use- 
ful hung near a sewing machine. They should be 
finished with a tassel from the point at the bottom, and 
kept open by a piece of rattan or wire run into a sheath- 
ing at the top. 

rig.22 gives a good idea of the plainer kind of ticking 
work. Where the stri^Des to be worked are wide enough 




flowers worked in railway stitch may be used. Some of 
the French tickings come in stripes of varying width. 
A few stitches useful in this work are here described. 

Tete de I^oeuf— is so named from its fancied resem- 
blance to a cow's head with the horns attached. To 
work it mark very lightly a line down the centre of the 
stripe, or run a basting thread to mark it. Make two 
slanting stitches meeting at the bottom on the central 
line. Bring out your needle (after putting it through 
to the back in making the second slanting stitch), near 
the bottom of the left hand stitch and on the upper side. 
Holding your thread as if making a chain stitch, put 
your needle in at the same position on the right hand 
side, and bring it to the front again on the central 
line about one quarter of an inch below the slanting 



54 NEEDLES AND Bli USEES. 

stitches. Put j^our ueedle to the back of the work just 
below^the chain stitch, thus holding it in position. Re- 
X^eat this stitch at reg'uhir intervals. 

Wheat Ear. — This is worked on a straight central 
line. Work a chain stitch (ratber long), and take an 
upward slanting on either side. In making the slanting- 
stitches, bring the ueedle out inside the chaiu stitcli. 

Ship Ladder. — Make a_^ straight stitch a quarter of au 
inch in lengtli ; bring out your needle on tLe right hand 
side a little above where it went in, and one quarter of 
an inch off. Put it in on the left hand of the straight 
stitch, a little below and about a quarter of an inch away. 
Bring the ueedle out at the end of the straight stitch and 
repeat. 

Lattice Stitch. — This is useful for filling rather wide 
spaces. Work five slanting stitches across the strii)e, 
about a quarter of an inch apart, and cross them by five 
stitches worked in the opposite direction, interlacing 
the threads as you work. Miss a quarter of au inch and 
repeat. 

Persian Cross-Stitch. — This is a long slanting stitch 
crossed by one one half as long. 

WORK BASKET IN TICKING WORK. (Fig. 23.) 

Cut four pieces of ticking, shaped as in the illustration ; 
in the model these pieces are eight inches long measur- 
ing from tlie i)oint, and the cardboard foundation is ten 
inches square, but with the corners rounded off. Having 
worked your ticking, sew it on, together with a silk in- 
ner bag, to which the ticking wOrk must be caught by 
carefully hidden stitches. Work a handle and fasten on. 
The fancy edge is crocheted from silk as follows: — 
Crochet a foundation row of the necessary length ; then 
work — 

1st. Eow: 9 chain, pass over four loops, one double 
in the next. Repeat. 



AND ROW TO USE THEM., 



55 




Fig. 23. 

2(1 Eow: Three donl)1e in the three centre stitches of 
the iiine-chaiii, three picots (of five-chain, one single in 
the first.) Eepeat. 



PAINTING IN OILS. 



Color, however brilliant or charming, can never dis- 
guise bad drawing", nor will time, which may tone down 
and mellow too glaring or vivid coloring, lend any dis- 
guise to faults of drawing. An old Italian proverb may 
be freely translated: — "If time corrects painting, it 
does nothing for drawing." But if you wish to begin 
painting, you need not necessarilj'- wait till you are a 
proficient with your pencil. Good drawing may be 
learnt as well with tlie brush as in any other way; and in 
fact, the artist must learn to draw with his brush, that 
is, to produce the right effects of light and shade, true 
perspective, etc. Good lessons are, of course, of ines- 
timable value, but many have done much for themselves 
by study and assiduous practice. 

As for the outfit required, it need not necessarily be 
a very expensive one. If you can manage to have a 
room to yourself, however small, so much the better. 
Darken all the windows but the one at which you have 
your easel. A northern exposure is to be preferred, as 
the light is more even. If painting from nature, the 
lower part of the window should be darkened, in order 
to give the proper effects of light and shade. Your 
palette should be light and fit your hand comfortably. 
Nos. 2, 4, 6, and 9, flat red sable brushes, one flat bristle 
brush, and one badger blender No. 4, will be 'a good as- 
sortment to begin with, which can be added to as you 
wish. It is well, however, to have two or three No. 6 

56 



AND now TO USE THEM. 57 

brushes, as that size is constantly needed. Get the best 
brushes, as it is very unsatisfactory to work with poor 
tools. For the same reason, get Windsor & Newton's 
paints, which are more reliable than the American. A 
good selection of colors would be the following: — 

* Silver White. Permanent Blue. 
Yellow Ochre. * Antwerp Blue. 
Light Cadmium. * Terre Verte. 
Medium Cadmium. Zinnober Green (light; 
Orange Cadmium. Schonfeldt's). 
♦Light Red. Raw Umber. 

* Vermilion. Burnt Sienna. 
Madder Lake. Bone Brown. 
Rose Madder. * Ivory Black. 
♦Indian Red. Blue Black. 
Cobalt. 

This list can be shortened by taking only the colors 
marked with au asterisk, with the addition of burnt um- 
ber, raw sienna, and Naples yellow. For some reasons 
it is far better to restrict yourself to as few colors as pos- 
sible, so as to learn their capabilities. The old masters 
had a much more limited range of colors than we now 
l)ossess, yet who will dare to dispute their claims to pre- 
eminence as colorists? To your list of materials add a 
two ounce bottle of poppy oil, a tube of Soehnee freres' 
retouching varnish, some soft old calico or muslin, a tube 
of megilp, and, if necessary, transfer and tracing papers. 

A sketch block for oil painting, containing 32 sheets, 
7x10 inches in size, can be bought for 11.00; 10x14 for 
$2.00. -These are good to practice on. You can also 
purchase wooden panels, or papier mache, wooden, or 
porcelain plaques for decorating. It is considered ad- 
visable, generally, to paint standing, but as some will 
find it necessary to paint at a table, a small easel for the 
purpose will be desirable. It can be made by any car- 
penter from the following measurements : The top and 



58 NEEDLES AND BRUSlIEb | 

bottom pieces are respectively fifteen and seven inches 
wide, with a perpendicular brace, eighteen inches in 
height, connecting- top and bottom. The side pieces con- 
necting the to}) and bottom should have holes in them at 
regular intervals for about half their length ; a coui)le of 
pegs fitted into these holes serve to support a loose bar 
of wood, on which tlie picture rests; bj' means of tlie 
holes the i)icture can be placed higher or lower on the 
easel as is desired. A leg twenty iuclies long and pointed 
at the end, is hinged to tlie back of the easel at the top; 
and one twenty-two inches long, jiierced with holes, is 
hinged to the bottom of the easel. Uy means of these 
holes, the inclination of the easel is governed. Academy 
board, or canvas stretched on a frame, can be used to 
l)aint on, instead of the sketch block referred to above. 
Sketch your design correctly, but lightly; if you can- 
not draw, trace and transfer it as directed else^^■here, but 
if you paint much you will soon be able to throw aside 
these aids. Now study your subject and "set your 
palette " with the needed colors. It is well alVnys to put 
the colors on in the same general order, as you will then 
work more systematically. To "set the palette," squeeze 
out of the tubes portions of color about the size of a pea, 
and lay them along the upper edge of the i)alette, be- 
ginning from the thumb side in the following order: — 
White, Naples yellow, rem sienna, burnt sienna, light red, 
Indian red, vermilion, terre verte, zinnoher green, umber, 
blue, and black. You have thus ample space for mixing, 
with the palette knife (which must be added to the list 
given above), the various tints on the lower part of the 
paletj^e. The lighter tints are usually placed on the 
right hand side of the palette. White or black is 
usually combined with all colors as they are required 
lighter or darker. 

To make any tint, take on the point of the knife a 
small portion of megilp, and the colors you want, mix 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 59 

them on the palette, scrape tliem up, and lay them in 

gradatious for use. 

Of course iu a single chapter we cannot enlarge on 
the laws of color. The amateur should, if possible, 
possess and study thoroughly some good book on the 
subject. 

The following lines by Henry Hopley White were 
originally publislied in connection with a diagram illus- 
trating the relation of the colors. They may help some 
in the study of color, ami are convenient for reference. 

" Blue— Yelloiv— Red— v^ive simple colors all 
(By niixtm-e unoljtained) we Primaries call: 
From these, iu various combinations blent, 
All the colors trace their one descent, 
Each mixed with each— their powers combined diflfiise 
New colors forming Secondary hues ; 
Yellow with red makes Orange, \vrth bine— Gi'een; 
In bine witli red admixed, is Purple seen. 
Each of these hues in Harmony we find, 
When with its complimentary combined ; 
Orange with blue, and green with red agrees, 
And purple tints near yellows always please. 
These secondary Tertiaries produce, 
And Citrine— Olive — Eusset—intvodwce ; 
Thus green with orange blended forms citrine, 
And Olive comes from purple mixed witli green; 
Orange, with purple mix'd, will russet j)rove; 
And, being subject to the rule above. 
Harmonious with each tertiarj'^ we view 
The complemental secondary hue. 
Thus citrine— olive— russet harmonize 
With purple— orange— green, their true allies. 
These hues, by white diluted Tints are made; 
By black, are deepened into darkest Shade. 
Pure or combin'd, the primaries all three. 
To satisfy the eye, must present be ; 
If the support is wanting but of one, 
In that proportion harmony is gone ; 
^ Should red be unsupported by due share' 
Of blue and yellow/i!//'«— combin'd they are 
In green, which secondary thus we see, 
The harmonizing medium of all three. 
Yellow for light contrasts dark purple's hue, 
Its complemental, form'd of red and blue. 
Red most exciting is— let nature tell 
How grateful is, and soothing green's soft speU. 
So blue retij'es—bcyonsi all colors cold. 



60 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

While orange wann— advancing you beliold. 
Tlie union of (wo primaries forms a hue 
As perfect and decided as 'tis new; 
Kut all the mixtures which all three befall, 
Tend to destroy and neutralize them all; 
Kay, Mix them— three parts yellow, Ave of red, 
And eight of blue— then color all has fled. 
When primaries are not pure, you'll surely see 
Their coinplementals change in due degree: 
If red (with yellow) to a scarlet tend. 
Some blue its comiDlemental green will blend ; 
So if your red be crimson (blue with red). 
Your green with yellow would be varied ; 
If yellow tends to orange, then you find 
Purple (Its complement) to blue inclin'd ; 
But if to blue it leans, then mark the change. 
Nearer to red you see the purple range. 
If blue partakes of red, the orange then 
To yellow tends: if yellowish, you ken 
The secondary orange glows with red. 
Header, Farewell 1 my lesson now is^said." 

In the first p.ainting, the aim sliouUl be to get in what 
is called the " dead coloriug," which blocks out the de- 
sign in the principal colors. This done, the background 
can be laid in. If a smooth background is wished, it can 
be obtained by the use of the blender, using it somewhat 
after the manner described for china painting. If a 
mottled background is wished, two paintings are required. 
First, cover the background with a simple flat tone, say 
terre verte and burnt sienna. In the second painting, 
which must not be done until the first is perfectly dry, 
wipe the i^iintiug over with a little poppy oil, being 
careful to leave no superfluous oil on the painting. This 
causes the two coats of paint to combine. Now go over 
the painting with the same tints used in the dead color- 
ing, correcting, improving, and softening, making the 
high lights (that is the parts nearest approaching to 
white), laying them on with spirited touches, and with 
rather stift' color. For the mottled effect in the back- 
ground use Antwerp blue, yellow ochre and white, with 
a very little light cadmium; prepare also some terre 
verte and burnt sienna, with madder lake. Paint in 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 61 

these contrasting tones in alternate masses, large or 
small, as desired, and then blend them with a_large soft 
brush. This will give a mottled olive-blue effect. A 
spray of pink and Avhite chrysanthemums would look 
well on this ground. 

For the third or last painting, when perfectly dry, oil 
as before, and touch up where it is needed, putting in 
the last delicate touches which often serve to emphasize 
and bring out the picture. 

The "glazing" is put on at this stage. This process is 
the laying some transparent color, mixed only with me- 
gill),over,any part to enrich and give it depth; thus burnt 
sienna put on over red has a very good effect. It must 
be put on siDaringiy, so as to see the former paintings 
through it, and even taken off entirely wiih a rag or the 
finger, in some places, as in the highest light. 

In painting, endeavor to lay on your colors steadily 
and boldly, with as few strokes of the brush as possible. 
Keep your tints pure and distinct, each in the place you 
mean it to be. Do not, by goiug over and over them 
with the brush muddle and mix the tints, for some tints 
destroy each other, and the transparency and beauty of 
the painting will be lost. In softening or uniting the 
tints, it is best either to use an intermediate shade, or 
else, with a clean ^brush and no color, to melt them to- 
gether. Much depends on the first painting. It should 
be lighter in color than the picture is intended to be, as 
all colors sink, more or less, into the ground as they dry, 
and it can easily be glazed and toned down to the proper 
color. The shadows should be put on thin in color, the 
lights with a greater body of paint, with a sharp and 
firm touch. The brightest lights may be painted quite 
white, and glazed to the required hue; beautiful effects 
are produced by glazing, but it is dangerous for the 
student to be too free in the use of it. 

" Scumbling" is the reverse of glazing, and is done by 



62 NEEDLE:^ AND BliUSHES 

goiEig over tlie paiuting, when quite dry, witJi opaque 
tints of a lighter hue, generally ^Yith a mixture of white. 
Colors that are too bright can thus be cooled dowMi, and 
objects made to appear more distant; smoke mist, and 
the haziness of far-off hills, can be thus produced. The 
color should be laid on very thinly, with a liog's bristle 
brush, and should not be laid over shadows. 

When painting-, often retire from your work and look 
at it from a distance, so as to judge of the effect. When 
copying from nature, as in painting- flowers, look at them 
sometimes with your eyes half closed, or through a tube 
formed of rolled up paper. This will isolate your sub- 
ject, and help you to see the lights and shadows more 
correctly. 

Much of the comfort, and success also, of an amateur 
depends on their keeping- their painting- materials in 
good working- order. Brushes put away with paint in 
them will soon spoil, while if much paint is left on the 
palette considerable waste is involved. You can save 
your pure colors by taking them off the palette with 
your knife, placing- them on a plate, and then covering 
them with water; they can be kept for several days in 
this condition. Kow scrape all the waste color and oil 
off your palette; wipe it off with a rag- and pour a little 
linseed oil on it (I believe kerosene oil is often used for 
this purpose); wash all the color out of your brushes, 
wiping- them with a rag, and then dip them in clean oil. 
Some prefer washing them in soap and water. Wipe the 
dirty oil off your palette and then rub it with a little 
clean oil. Put brushes and palette safely away from the 
dust. 

If possible, paint from nature; take simple objects at 
first which will await your time, as flowers and land- 
scapes will not. A bit of drapery is excellent practice. 
If you are at fault in drawing get a good copy of a flower, 
and by it learu how to draw the real jflower, but copy the 



AND ITO]V TO USE TIIEM. 63 

color from the natural object. 1 have found this method 
v^cry helpful. Dou't destroy first attempts; they may 
serve to keep up your coura^j^e in times of ai)parent fail- 
ure; date these attemiits, tliat you may note the prog- 
ress made. 

Painting, uow-a-daj's, is used for decorating almost 
.everything. It is so much more effective, for the time 
spent on it, than embroidery that, in this go-ahead age, 
it is not strange it should be popular. On silk and 
satin, decorative painting can be quickl}- executed by one 
who has a good eye for color, and command of the brush. 
The method is much the same as above described, onl^^ 
that some means often have to be taken to prevent the 
oil from spreading. Some use a mixture for tliis which 
can be obtained at the stores where artists' supplies are 
sold. Otliers paint over the design with oxgall, and 
others again find that by taking out their i)aints on blot- 
ting paper and using turpentine as a medium, all danger 
of this kind is averted. Satin, for i)ainting, should be of 
a firm, even texture. The gjoss on its surface is very 
trying to the eyes, and for tliis reason many have had to 
give up using it. Plush and velvet are also used to 
paint on. The aim must be to produce etfective rather 
than delicate work. The plush must be firmly fastened 
on the drawing-board, the pile running do\vn\Yards. The 
paint should be taken out on blotting paper, and about 
ten times as much will be needed as for ordinary paint- 
ing. Use siccatif de Courtray as a vehicle instead of 
megilp or turpentine. Sketch your design in Chinese 
white, and then press the colors down with a stift" bristle, 
poouah, or pounce brush, until they fairly take hold. 
Dog-wood, coreopsis, cactus and other large blossoms 
are most available for this kijid of painting. Care should 
be taken that the shape of the plush left by the leaves 
or flowers laid on it is graceful. 



FLOWER PAINTING 

IN WATER COLORS. 



There is, perhaps, no braucli of decorative art more 
fascinating and less troublesome to acquire than that of 
painting flowers in water-colors. The outfit is so inex- 
pensive as to be within the reach of all, while there is no 
reason that any one, with sufficient taste and patience to 
learn any kind of fancy work, should not attain a tolera- 
bly satisfactory degree of proficiency. Of course, every 
one knows that really artistic work can only be done by 
those who have mastered the rudiments of drawing and 
color, and who possess also some degree of talent. But 
many, who could never hope to (sail tliemselves artists, 
will nevertheless find, if they bnt try, that they can do 
much toward beautifying their homes, and giving pleas- 
ure to their friends, by the use of the brush. And my 
experience has been, that very many of my friends who 
now can i)aint with both skill and taste, succeeded in de- 
fiance of all the rules of the schools. They attempted to 
paint before they could draw; when, in fact, they had to 
trace everything they wished to paint. Their first emo- 
tion after carefully coloring a traced drawing was sur- 
prise that they could do so much, but quickly followed 
the feeling of dissatisfaction with their work, accom- 
panied,^however, with the conviction, that having once 
painted a flower they could certainly improve on it. The 
beginning is the great trouble. To avoid difficulties, 

64 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 65 

therefore, I strongly advise all who are afraid to draw, to 
trace their copy on thin paper and transfer it, by means 
of transfer paper, to the card or paper on which they 
intend to paint. If corrections are needed a piece of 
bread, broken, not cut out of the loaf, is very much bet- 
ter than India rubber in rubbing pencil marks out. It is 
also useful in removing color, and is often used in order 
to pick out the high lights. 

Having decided to begin, the next question is, as to an 
outfit. Winsor and Newton's paints, either in tubes or 
pans, are decidedly the most desirable. A box contain-^ 
ing twelve half pans, comprising the most needful colors, 
and a sufficient assortment of brushes, can be obtained 
for about 13.50. But the smaller boxes of French colors, 
costing from 50 cents upward, are quite satisfactory, and 
you can always add to your assortment of colors. Two 
brushes, either sable or camel's-hair, will be enough for 
a beginner. These vary a little in price, but camel's- 
hair brushes general!}' cost about five cents a piece. You 
can make your own holders. For making up your box 
you can, if you choose, omit some of the colors given, as 
their place can be supplied by mixing otlier colors. 1 
give a list of desirable colors from which to choose. 
Those in italics are not necessary to a beginner, although 
very useful. 

*Blue black 10.10 

f Burnt umber 10 

Hooker's green, No. 1 10 

" No. 2 10 

*Vermilion 10 

Brown madder 20 

f Cadmium yellow 40 

lEaw sienna 40 

*Ohrome yellow, 1, 2, 3, 4 10 

tCobalt 25 



66 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

Carmine 40 

Piuk madder 40 

Crimsou lake 20 

Gamboge 10 

Indigo 10 

Aureolin 40 

'* Olive green 10 

Prussian blue , 10 

The colors marked with a (*) are opaque, 
and those with a (t) are semi-transparent. 

Indigo can be made by a mixture of Prussian blue, 
black, and crimson lake. 

This, again, combined with Indian yellow, makes a 
rich, dark green. 

Olive green is made by mixing Prussian blue, gam- 
boge, and vermilion. 

Almost the same effect can be produced with a mix- 
ture of vermilion and gamboge, or Indian yellow, as with 
cadmium. 

Prussian blue, with gamboge or cadmium, modified by 
burnt sienna, madder, or umber, gives a good number of 
greens. Hooker's greens, however, are extremely con- 
venient, and zinnobar green (which comes in tubes), is 
especially useful when a warm light tint is needed. 

Almost all flowers and leaves need gray in some step 
of the painting, and this is generally obtained by a com- 
bination of different blues, reds, and yellows. 
X Thus for a greenish gray, cobalt and chrome yellow, 
No. 2 or 3, would be used. For the shadows of white 
flowers, cobalt, Indian yellow, and Indian red, form a 
good tint. I have space only for a few hints on this 
subject. Careful study, observation, and experiment 
can alone teach you. 

The next thing to be supplied is the surface on which 
to paint. T^hatman's water-color paper is the very best 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 67 

to be used, but cards, panels, and even a good qnality of 
wrapping paper will do. For real study, however, a 
block of Whatman's paper, costing according to size 
from 25 cents to $2.95, is decidedly the most desirable. 
The blocks are preferable to paper in sheets, as it obvi- 
ates the need of stretching. Tliispaperis very absorbent, 
so that you must have your color mixed so that it will 
flow freely. Have a piece of rag by you to wipe your 
brushes on after washing them. 

The following directions for painting on velvet are 
compiled from the " Art Interchange ": 

" Cotton velvet or velveteen of a close pile or make is 
preferable to silk velvet. The colors nsed are the ordi- 
nary water colors, mixed with veluntiue or gum dragon, 
sal volatile, or spirits of wine, so as to prevent their run- 
ning into each other. The brushes are those known as 
scrubs; they are made of bristles and have flat, bushy 
ends, instead of pointed ones. As the velvet cannot be 
touched by the hand while working on it without spoiling 
the pile, a hand-rest, such as is described in the chapter 
on China Painting, is needed. It must be long enough 
to extend eutirelj' across the velvet. 

"Pounce your design on the velvet according to the 
directions on pnge 63. Mix up in various small saucers 
the tints required, adding to each a little veluntine, or 
gum dragon, or either of the other mediums named. 
Make the colors perfectly smooth and as thick as weak 
cream, and do not attempt more than two shades of a 
color. Dip the brush into the darkest tint of a color, 
and well till it, letting any superfluous color drain ofl'on 
blotting-paper. Hold the brush upright over the velvet 
and paint by dabbing it on the velvet; never dab the 
color quite to the edge of a leaf or petal, but take a clenn 
dry brush, and soften it oft' gradually there. Put in all 
the darker parts first, and never work over them or near 
them till they are quite dry; then take another clean 



63 NEB-DLES AND BRUSHES 

scrub and finish with the lighter paitKS. Let one color 
dry perfectly before another is put on, and make the 
colors as solid as they will bear. Add a little water to a 
color when it is being softened dowD, but with very 
great care. Two shades on a leaf or petal can be soft- 
ened into each other by brushing the leaf with the hard 
brush the way in which the pile runs most easily, and 
then the contrary way. Ske.tch in the stamens, veins 
and fiue liues of the design with a crow-quill pen after 
the painting is dry. When all the work is done, take a 
smooth, soft hat brush and brush it gently over the work 
so as to raise any part of the pile that may have been 
flattened. 

"Dark colored velvets must have the design painted 
over in Chinese white before coloring. To do this paint 
the design over with a slight Avash of veluntine; let tliis 
dry thoroughly, and then put on Chinese white, mixed 
with veluntine, putting it on as dry as possible. Then 
paint with the right colors, mixed with veluntine, and 
shading as sparingly as possible. Do not brush when 
finished unless the pile is much flattened." 



KENSINGTON AND LUSTRA 
PAINTING. 



Many people' who desire to beautify their homes or to 
make handsome and acceptable presents, are unable to 
spare the time required by needle work. To such, Ken- 
sington painting- offers a quick and easy meaus of decor- 
ation. The materials required are oil paints (in tubes), 
a porcelain palette, red sable brushes, Nos. 4 and 6 (it is 
well to have several of these), spirits of turpentine, and 
the inevitable rag. Tlie same care must be taken as to 
background, coloring, etc., as in embroidery, and the 
same hints should be observed as to realistic treatment. 
The object is decoration and not picture making. 

Squeeze the colors out on the palette, mixing them to 
meet the requirements of your work. Do not thin them, 
but use as thick as possible. A little sugar of lead or 
megilp mixed with them will facilitate drying, and pre- 
vent the possible spreading of the oil. If tlie colors 
seem to contain too much oil, take them out on blotting 
paper before placing them on the palette. 

Have your design distinctly outlined, but keeping the 
lines as^light as practicable. Lay on the colors smoothly, 
painting from the edge of the design in, vSO as to have the 
outlines definite. Use the colors which you will need 
in the finished work, but the shading and blending of 
the tints need not be done as carefully as in ordinary 
painting. Let it dry for a few minutes, and then with a 
steel or lacquered pen scratcU in the coloring so as to 

C»9 



70 NWEDL^S AI^D BRUSHES 

simulate the stitches in " tilled in '' work. An ordinary 
pen will do, but i)ens with three, five, and seven x^oints 
each, can be bought for ten cents a piece, and the work is 
done much more quickly with them. 

If you wish to use a light shade of a transparent color 
on a dark ground, paint tirst witli white, scratch it in, 
and then paint with the required color. 

Satin, velvet, velveteen, are all good materials on 
which to work, and 1 think holland linen might be used 
to good advantage. I have seen a lovely mantel scarf 
painted in oils on such linen, the background being- 
relieved with dashes of gold. The design was dog- 
wood, a i)lant that is extremely decorative in character, 
and that has been very much used for this purpose. 

Kensington painting is not considered artistic, but it 
is quite ]>retty, and many can avail themselves of it who 
have not time or patience for that Art to which, like 
Learning, there is no royal road. 

LUSTRA PAINTINGr. 

It is quite important in doing tliis work to procure the 
best materials, as the metallic colors lose tlieir tone and 
brilliancy if of inferior make. Bragdon's colors are 
recommended by the highest authorities on the subject. 
A complete outfit consists of from three to six hog's-hair 
brushes of different sizes, a china palette, six bottles of 
metallic, and five of opaque powder colors, palette-knife, 
turpentine, and a bottle of medium. 

The medium must be used very fre'ely, and must be 
thoroughly mixed with the colors. One can begin, how- 
ever, with a much smaller assortment. One or two 
shades of bronze, two shades of gold, and some of the 
bronze green can be used to begin with; the assortment 
being enlarged when needed. 

One great advantage that Lustra has over ordinary 
paiuting lies in the fact that it can be washed, if care is 



AND now TO USE TIIEM. 71 

taken in the process. Linen, satin sheeting, velvet, vel- 
veteen, and pinsh, all offer a good surface for these 
colors. Care should be taken to select velvet, velveteen 
or plush, that has a short nap, as the colors wet the pile 
and cause it to lie flat. The work is very much more 
beautiful on velvet and simihir surfaces, but lately an 
invention has been patented by means of which a plush - 
like surface is given to a design ou auy material, whether 
of wood, stone, paper, metal, or textile fabrics. The effect 
is that of plush applique. The process is said to be a 
very simple oue, and the material used — " plushette " — 
is comparatively inexpensive. 

In beginning Avork, select a simj^le design, choosing 
one in which the forms are large and distinct. A good 
crewel design of large flowers or leaves is an excellent 
one for a beginner. Transfer it as for embroidery, 
drawing in veins, and stalks, but no lines indicating 
shading. On velvet and similar material it is gener- 
ally best to have the stamping done at a fancy work 
store. Fasten j'our material on a drawing board with 
thumbtacks. Take a little of the metallic color, either 
gold or silver, out on the palette, and rub it down with 
the knife till it is i^erfectly smooth ; tlien add medium, 
mixing them thoroughly until you have a perfectly 
smooth liquid. This is to be used as a stopping, to pre- 
vent the opaque colors from sinking into the material. 
Rub it well into every petal and leaf, using it freely, so 
that it will adhere as a flat wash. Use the brightest 
silver or gold metallic colors over all the parts of the 
leaf they are used for; work in the various shades of 
metallic colors in this waj^, using botii silver and gold 
on the same flower, if contrast is desired, and working 
over ever}- petal and leaf until a strong, smooth surface 
of color is obtained, the lightest part being either bright 
gold or silver, and the deepest shades with the darker 
metallic colors. On linen the metallic colors need not 



72 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

be used for " stopx3ing," the painting being done ia 
opaque colors, often with only a few metallic touches. 
After the surface in metallic colors described abore has 
been obtained, take the opaque powder color, treating 
it iu the same way as the metallic color, and the first 
l)ainting being dry, deepen all the shadows with their 
l)roper colors, using a clean brush and rubbing them 
well iu. Use rose red tints above the gold, the white, 
etc., above the silver, and white and black above the 
green metallics. 

Do not attempt any fine gradations of shade, but trust 
to the effect of broad masses of color well combined. 
Omit stamens and other very fine lines. The two things 
to be chiefly attended to in lustra painting are, the rub- 
bing the colors perfectly smooth, and working them up 
until not a trace of the material remains. 

PAlNTING^ IN GOLD. 

Very pretty decorative effects are produced by paint- 
ing on crash, linen, etc., in gold, and afterwards outlining 
the design in silks. A bold conventional design must be 
used for this purpose. When tlie design has been clearly 
stamped on the material (even such coarse stuff as sack- 
ing or burlaps can be used), paint it carefully with oil 
paint. 

A good tint is made by mixing chrome yellow, raw si- 
enna, and a very little Prussian blue. This will give a 
greenish tinge to the gold. When this coat is tlioroughly 
dry, paint it over with gold paint. Care should be taken 
to get a good article, as poor gold, silver, or bronze 
paints, tarnish very quickly. 

The painting done, outline the design with silk match- 
ing the paint or a shade darker. Twisted chain stitch 
would be very effective for this purpose. Both gold and 
silver paint might be used iu the same design. Very 
charming door panels could be i)ainted in this way. 



AMD HOW TO trs^ THEM. 



n 



The tacks used in fastening the work in place should be 
concealed by a narrow gilt beading, or a narrow strip of 
Lincrusta Walton could be used. Screens, friezes, 
stripes for portieres, would be very novel decorated in 
this way. 




STEIVCILLING. 



This chapter might appropriately be headed " Decora- 
tion made easy," so sim[)le and eiiective is the work. 
Given good taste as to color and form, or even Qneen 
Elizabeth's power of choosing good advisers, and a little 
care and neatness are the only reqnisites for prodncing 
pleasing results. 

A stencil is a pattern cut out of a thin sheet of some 
stiff material, applied smoothly to the surface to be dec- 
orated, the parts of said surface left uncovered by the 
cut-out pattern being then painted over with the de- 
sired color. 

Tliese stencils can be cut out from sheet brass, zinc, 
thin wood or cardboard. The metal is preferable for 
small patterns, as it is more durable, and less liable to 
absorb the paint. Tliey can be cut out with ajret saw, 
or a sharp knife. When made from cardboard it is a 
good plan to use two thin sheets, pasted together with 
strong paste. These cardboard sheets are especially 
useful for large patterns, as tliey are not so apt to wi^rp 
or bend. Wlien they are to be used for distemper they 
sliould be painted over witli " Pnttern Knotting." This 
can be procured at any pnint store or made at home, by 
dissolving gum shellac in naphtha. 

Patterjis for stencils should be designed on paper, 
pasted on to tlie slieet from which the stencil is to be 
cut, and then cut out witli a fret saw, or a sharp knife. 
The edges of the pattern should be clear cut. It maybe 

74 



AN]) HOW TO USE THEM. 75 

necessary sometimes to leave small bits of the i)attern 
uncut, so as to hold the design in place. When the 
paint has been applied, these bits will appear as blem- 
ishes, and must be carefully painted in by hand. This 
process of stencilling can be applied to many uses. 
Tiles and plates can be very prettily decorated ^n min- 
eral colors, and the stencilled patterns can be afterward 
touched up b^^ hand. When a pattern is to be repeated 
a great many times, a stencil saves much labor, and 
insures a greater degree of uniformity. 

Some economically inclined people transform Brussels 
carpet from which the pattern is worn off into very ser 
viceable oilcloth by painting the wrong side. Gener- 
ally, a plain coat of yellow ochre is considered sufficient, 
but a really pretty floor covering could be made by sten- 
cilling a border, consisting either of one of the key 
patterns, or of a continuous leaf or vine patterns. I 
have seen in an artist's studio a matting on the floor, 
painted' grey with a border of Indian red. The centre 
was a square of grey surrounded by a border of red, of 
the same width as the outside border. This red was 
edged on either side by a line of black, and the centre 
border was divided into small squares by black lines. 
Each of these squares had little figure pieces painted in 
black. The effect was extremely pretty, and by means 
of well chosen stencils could be easily achieved b^^ one 
wholly ignorant of drawing. 

Stencilling is particularly useful in the decoration of 
large surfaces. A pretty frieze can be easily executed 
by this means, and the whole wall itself may be en- 
livenexl by means of the stencil. We are apt to think of 
whitewashed walls with a certain degree of scorn, but 
distemper painting was after all but a variety of white- 
washing, and there are several considerations which 
plead with many in favor of the use of a lime or whiting 
wash for our walls. The first of these is its superior 



76 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

cleanliness, and therefore wholesomeness. It is inex- 
l^ensive also and not difficult to put on, and can there- 
fore be renewed at will. Those who have suifered from 
an ugly or inappropriate wall 'paper which could not' 
be renewed without incurring an undesirable expense, 
can appreciate this advantage. For those who wish to 
try decorated walls done with whitewash, I copy the 
following directions for a wash that will not rub off — : 

" Take of good unslaked lirae half a bushel, and slake 
with boiling water, covering it during the process to 
keep tbe steam in. Strain the liquid through a fine 
sieve or strainer, and add of salt, one peck, previously 
well dissolved in water, of rice, three pounds, boiled to 
a thin paste and stirred in boiling hot, one pound of 
clean, nice glue, which has previously been dissolved by 
soaking it well, and then boiled in the usual manner. 
Now add five gallons of water to the mixture, stir it 
well, and let it stand a few days, carefully covered over 
from dust. This whitewash has a remarkably -brilliant 
lustre, and, it is said, will last thirty years. Coloring 
matter, such as Spanish brown, umber, chrome, or ochres, 
singly or mixed, adds to its effect. Indigo or blue vit- 
riol give a good blue color. If you find this too expen- 
sive or troublesome, a very goodpermauent washjnay be 
made by simply infusing two ounces of glue to every 
four pounds of lime or whiting. This will not rub off." 

The ground should be smoothly laid on in the desired 
color, and allowed to become perfectly dry. Then fasten 
your stencil flat on the wall, in the desired place. It 
must lie perfectly close to the wall as otherwise the 
color may run underneath and thus destroy the outline. 
Paint over the stencil with the color prepared for the 
design, and, having carefully removed the stencil, wipe 
any superfluous color off it, and arrange it for the next 
division of the pattern. Leaves may be easily formed 
into graceful designs for borders for a wall. Good de- 



AND ROW TO USE THEM. 77 

siffns may be coi)iecl from wall papers, carpet borders, or 
damask liueus. 

Oil paiuts can be used iu the same waj' for decorative 
purposes. The brushes to be used for stencilling- are 
of various sizes according to the work to be done; they 
should have a broad, flat surface, like the brushes used 
for putting in grounds in china painting. Stencilling- 
can also be used on linen canvas for portieres, curtains, 
etc., with great success. 

Where the pattern is to be repeated several times, the 
local or ground color can be stencilled, and the design 
afterward touched up carefully; this touching up giv- 
ing the iudividiialit}^ to the work, which distinguishes 
hand from machine labor. 

Very beautiful decorations may be applied to articles 
made of white wood by means of stencils. A very pretty 
table was for sale in the rooms of the Society of Dec- 
orative art. It was of white wood with ebonized legs. 
The top was square, the centre forming a chessboard, the 
squares alternately of black and white. On the white 
squares were silhouettes of children; and immediately 
around the chessboard was a band of white, on which 
was a procession of children. The outer border was a 
band of black. The figures on the table were presumably 
drawn by hand, but I have selected it as a good instance 
of what could be done without any knowledge of draw- 
ing. The figures could be easily selected from the many 
illustrations in children's books, by Miss Ledyard, Miss 
McDermott, Kate Greenaway and others. 

The table-top should be perfectly smooth and clean be- 
fore beginning work. With ruler and pencil mark off 
your chess board, and the line separating the two outer 
borders. Have ready iu a saucer or plate some lamp- 
black and turpentine mixed to the consistency of cream. 
Paint your outside border, and the alternate squares on 
the chess board with this mixture, taking care to keep 



78 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

the lines true. While this is drying prepare your sten- 
cils. If you prefer, your border can be a vine or a purely 
conventional pattern, and the desigus for tlie square may 
correspond. When the paint is quite dry you can stencil 
in your desigus with the lami)-black. Let it get 
thoroughly dry, and then paint all over again, repeating 
the process until the painting is of a dense black. When 
the last coat is perfectly dry, rub thoroughly with 
pumice stone: wash off with clear water, varnish again. 
Let this dry, then rub with a soft flannel, repeating the 
X)rocess until a perfect i)olish is obtained. 

Any other design could be substituted, as, for instance, 
leaves, flowers, and butterflies scattered carelessly over 
the surface. The varnish gives a beautiful yellow tinge 
to the wood. 

In a box which I own, the i)rocess described above has 
been reversed, the background being black, and the 
pattern left white. When this is done, the design must 
be carefully shaded with India ink, and although the 
elfect is prettier, much more work and more knowledge 
of drawing is required than in the first process. If pre- 
ferred, the design can be transferred to the wood and 
then painted in with black. 

This work is very appropriate for ornamenting hand- 
kerchief, glove, or work boxes, and for panels in cabinet 
doors. The effect is very much that of inlaid work. 
Monograms and appropriate mottoes can be used with 
good effect. 

A very good imitation of grouud glass can be made as 
follows: — 

Take a piece of stencil paper just fitting the pane of 
glass, and draw a suitable design, cutting out the parts 
which are to bo opaque. This pattern may be the same 
for all the panes, or the centre panes can be merely 
decorated with trefoils or stars, while a border is carried 
round the outer panes. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 79 

Take a piece of putty two iuclies in diameter, and put 
it in a piece of thin muslin, twisting \\\) the latter so as 
to form a baudle, and having one side smooth. Clean 
the glass well, fit in your stencil, and pat the surface 
over with the pad. Take the stencil carefully off, and 
when dry, varnish with transparent varnish. 

To make this varnish, dissolve one part pearlash in 
about eight parts water, add one part shellac, and heat 
the whole to the boiling point. When the lac is 
dissolved, cool the solution, and saturate it with chlo- 
rine until the lac has all settled. When it is dissolved 
in alcohol, it forms a varnish which is as transparent as 
any coital varnish. 



WOOD CARVING. 



Modelling, wov/d carving, workiug- in papier maclie, 
or in boiled leatlier, are all arts wliicb are comparatively 
easy of attainment, (that is, so far as decorative work is 
concerned), to all who have attained a fair proficiency 
with the pencil. Not only so, but they themselves will 
aid the amateur in attaining that proficiency. Here, as 
in everything that is worth doing at all, one must be 
willing to begin at the lower round of the ladder. Dili- 
gent practice will soon give you the control of your 
tools; after that, your progress need only be limited by 
your talent. 

The first essential is to provide yourself with good 
tools. Do not get fancy tools, such as are put up in sets 
for amateur's use, but make up your set as you find out 
your needs. The best tools are of English make, and 
should have ash handles. Short handles, uotmore than 
three inches in length, are preferable for beginners, but 
experts can get a firmer grij) of their tools with longer 
handles. Carpenter's gouges and chisels can be used, 
the i^rincipal difference between them and carver's 
tools being in the shape of the edge. In the latter, the 
tool is ground on both sides, giving a roof-shaped edge. 
Carpenter's tools having an edge on one side only, have 
to be frequently turned in the using. 

A full set of carver's tools would be about thirty in 
number, but half a dozen will do for a beginner, and it 
will probably be a year before you will need more than 

80 



AND HOW TO USE TLIEM. 81 

a dozen. It is always best to have few tools in tlie be- 
ginning and to learn tliorouglily the use of the few. The 
same rule applies in almost all— indeed, I may safely saj- 
in all — the minor arts. 'Some of the most delicate carv- 
ings in China have been executed with most awkward 
and inconvenient tools. 

One of the first necessities for wood carving is a com- 
mon table, strength and weight being important quali- 
ties. To this j^our work should be screwed or nailed 
(using French points for nailing) at first, but as you 
progress a hold-fast and carver's screw will be neces- 
sary. When you find these essential they can be pro- 
cured at a tool shop. 

A tracing wheel, snch as is used by saddlers, is a very 
important tool, as are also a few punches or stamps for 
the background, but a little ingenuity will enable you 
to substitute other tools for them if they are not to be 
had. A few hollow gouges, a few tlat ones, and some 
chisels, are essential, as well as a V or i)artiug tool. A 
mallet, a rasp, and a couple of tiles (a half round and a 
bastard), will make up the list oi necessary too\^. You 
can begin witli only one chisel of each kind. As you pro- 
ceed in carving, you will find it verj^ desirable to learn 
a little of carpentry. The best way is to take a few 
practical lessons from a carpenter. Tools should be 
kept very sharp. In every place some one can be found 
from whom you can learn just how to sharpen them. Tbe 
edges having been ground will often need " setting." 
This should oe done roughly with a Turkey oil stone, an 
Arkansas stone being used for the finishing up. Re- 
memberthat the chisels should be ground on both sides. 
For setting the inside edge of the gouges and parting 
tool, small pieces of oil stone, ground down to the size 
and shape of the tools, and fastened into pieces of wood 
are used. These are called " slips." 

Before attempting a piece of real carving, become used 



82 NEEDLES AND BBVSRES 

to your tools. Take some simi^le design, and having 
drawn it or transferred it on the wood, go over the edges 
with the tracing wheel, which has sharp points like the 
rowel of a spur. If you have no wheel, go over it with 
a sharj) bodkin, or a piece of sharp new knitting needle, 
set into a wooden handle, pricking out the outline by 
this means. Now take your parting tool and cut away 
a light groove, keeping just outside the dotted line 
already pricked out. Work slowly and lightly, as, if 
you attempt to hurry, the result will i^robably be that 
you will dig your tool in too deep, and tear up the wood 
in a very ragged and ugly manner, or perhaps you may 
break the edge of your tool. Make your cuts light and 
short at first. You can deepen this outline groove by 
going over it repeatedly with the same tool. 

Instead of running the outline groove with the parting" 
tool, you can " stab out " the same line with a tool ex- 
actly corresponding to the outline of the design. Hold 
it so that while close to the line the cut will slope a lit- 
tle outwards, and with a slight blow with a mallet or 
with a push of your hand cut into the wood. Eepeat 
this process till the whole design is outlined. 

The next step is to cut away the ground, leaving the 
design in relief. With a flat gouge or chisel cut this 
gradually away, beginning a little way from the outline 
and cutting towards it, and afterwards carefully cutting 
away the centre. Make it as smooth as you can, finish- 
ing it up, if desired, with a curved file. The edges of 
the design maybe gently rounded oifwith a rasp and 
sand paper. Small polishers, to be used in getting into 
corners, etc., can be made by taking sticks of wood, 
shaping their ends to suit the difficult spots, dipping 
them into glue and then into sand. Blow all the sand 
out of your work, and indent the background with the 
stiletto, or punches used for the purpose. The more 
thoroughly this is done, the better the design will look. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 83 

Oil thoroughly, wipe dry, and rub long and patiently 
with a pine stick. 

A motto, formed of Gothic letters, or a Gothic border, 
forms a good design for tirst attempts. Foliage should 
be kept until later. 

It is a good plan to practice running lines with gouges 
and chisels until you have the same mastery over it that 
you would have over a pencil. 

In this way you will become able to carve with a free 
touch, giving the element of originality which adds so 
much to the value of the work. Practice thoroughly on 
simple forms, such as ivy or oak leaves, before attempt- 
ing more involved designs. 

Beginners generally use black walnut, but oak, pear 
and apple woods are all beautiful. Lime or linden wood 
can be cut easily and then stained to any color. Any 
wood can be stained a dark walnut stain. Take a com- 
mon umber, or Vandyke brown i)owder, mix it with beer 
or strong coffee; coat your wood well with it; rub it off 
when dry and repeat the process. If you wish it darker 
add a little lamp black and spirits. Oak may be darkened 
by wasliing it with strong soda water. The dyes for 
wood sold in paint stores are also as a rule very satis- 
factory. A good ebonizing process is as follows: Wash 
tlie article lirst with a strong decoction of logwood. 
Give three or four coats of this wash, letting each one 
get thoroughly dry. Then wash it with vinegar in 
which steel or iron filings or scraps have been steeping 
for some days. When dry, put on thin shellac with a 
soft cloth, thus giving it the dull polish of ebony. 

When you first attempt foliage, get if possible a 
carved copy, or a plaster cast. Modelling- the leaf in 
clay, leather, or papier mache will aid materially in 
learning to carve it. The hollows of the leaf should be 
very carefully cut away, or rather, to use Mr. Leland's 
words, "shaved away." 



84 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



Intaglio carving", in which the design is sunk into the 
ground instead of standing out in relief, is an easy va- 





Fig. 25. 



Fig 24. 



riety of carving and is very useful in forming moulds for 
l)apier maclie and leather work. 
Carving in the round is an advance on carving in re- 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 85 

lief, which can be reached by the amateur if he takes 
heedto his ways and works up to it slowly. 

Study good carving when possible. Eeal work will 
teach more than any amount of engraved designs. Figs. 
24 and 25 are designs which may be used as borders 
or for frames, etc. The illustrations given in the chapter 
on Leather Work are also excellent patterns for carving. 



86 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



MODELLING IN CLAY. 



Modelling iu clay may be recommeuded to the ama- 
teur, anxious to try liis or Ler liaud at art, on mauy ac- 
counts. The materials are cheap and easily procured. 
The work may be made not merely decorative but useful, 
and it teaches one much of drawing. Indeed, this fact 
is recognized now in many of the primjiry schools in 
teaching drawing. The children are first taught to make 
the forms, such as cubes, spheres, etc., and then made to 
draw them. And the remembrance of mud-pies suggests 
another advantage in clay modelling over the other 
minor arts — the taste is born in us. Every child makes 
mud-pies; all children, too, delight in that other plastic 
material, dough, and will keep quiet and amused for a 
long time if allowed to mould it according -to fancy. 

For beginning this fascinating work but little expend- 
iture is required. Modelling clay can be procured for 
from three to live cents a pound. In some localities it 
can be had for the digging, but for a beginner there is an 
advantage in getting it at a pottery, because it is then 
ready for manipulation. It should be kept in a water- 
proof box, as it is necessary to keep it damp as long as 
you are using it. If, however, the clay becomes dry and 
hard, it can easily be moistened and kneaded up like 
dough to the proper consistency. Sometimes the clay 
will have air bubbles in it. This is remedied by what is 
qaWqCl wedging — that is, cutting the lump in two with a 
wire and then striking the two piles hard together, and 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 87 

repeating' the process uiilil the whole mass is perfectly 
smooth . 

The tools for motlelllng can be procured at any artists' 
supplies store, or if once seen can he easily whittled out 
in i)ine wood. 

Many fancy that foliage is one of the easiest things 
with which to begin, but the author of "Minor Arts" (an 
authority on all such subjects), recommeiuls beginning 
with an animal. Procure a i»laster cast of the object you 
are about to model, say a rabbit. Form a lump of clay 
(working on a smooth board or a slab of slate or marble) 
into a general rude resemblance to the object. It is well 
to make a smooth base of clay on wdiich the figure may 
stand. Have the clay from which you model your figure 
a very little wetter than the base as the drier claj^ will 
absorb the moisture from the lump, and in the process 
the figure will be more firmly fixed to the base. 

This rule should be always remembered in building up 
your figures. It is much easier for the beginner, how- 
ever, to take from than add to the clay. Therefore in 
your first attempt, be sure and have the blocked out 
form sufficiently large. Ascertain that you have the 
main points correctly by means of a large pair of com- 
passes. Don't be discouraged by repeated failures. 
"Eubbing out" is much easier than in drawing, for it is 
but to work the whole into a lump and begin again. If 
you find that the clay is getting too dry, sprinkle water 
over it by means of an atomizer or a brush dipped in 
water. 

When the figure is blocked out satisfactorily, proceed 
by means of tools and fingers to bring out the details. 
Use alternately the point of your bone tool to form the 
eyes and indentations of the ears. For the larger curves 
the fingers are the best tools. A few days of earnest, 
studious work will enable you to imitate any simple ob- 
ject. In finishing the hair the bone tool may be used, 



88 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

scraping deeply to form the masses, and using the mere 
point for the fine lines. 

Copy foliage from leaves carved in wood, or from 
plaster casts. If you live near a pottery you can pro- 
cure a vase, in what is called a green or unbaked state, 
and ornament it with some leafy design, or if you choose 
you may make for yourself a vase, and having ornamented 
it with a design in relief, you can have it baked at a 
l)ottery. Probably your first vase will be like poor Eob- 
inson Crusoe's earliest attempts at pottery— one-sided — 
or your clay may get too dry; but patience and persever- 
ance will enable you to overcome the first difficuly, and 
you can moisten your clay for another attempt. Keep your 
unfinished work in ajar or covered box, and if there seems 
to be danger of its drying too quickly cover it with a 
wet cloth. A pair of compasses is needful in getting 
circles exact, and, in fact, will often be useful in determin- 
ing curves. Never send a piece of work to be baked 
(which can be done at a pottery) until satisfied that it is 
thoroughly dry, as any moisture must inevitably result in 
breaking tho model. You can, if you prefer, further 
ornament your vase by painting before baking it in uuder- 
glaze colors. I have given suggestions for the first steps 
in tbis art only. Handling the clay will show you what 
you can undertake. Remember that in this as in all real 
work, the foundation must be well laid. Copy what you 
endeavor to do carefully. Do not attempt to refine too 
much. Clay is solid, and leaves, flowers, and tendrils 
made of it should not look as if a touch would destroy 
them. It may sometimes be necessary to place props 
under certain parts of your work, to support them until 
the clay hardens. This is especially the case if you at- 
tempt modelling figures. In modelling, have your whole 
design, whether in the round or in relief, accurately 
blocked out, so as to mark the proportions before at- 
tempting to finish any of the details. 



Al^D now TO USE THEM. 89 



CASTING IN PLASTER. 



Modellings and takiug casts are kindred employments, 
as by means of the latter process a panel or statuette can 
be repeated indefinitely with comparatively little ex- 
penditure of time or labor. The process is purely me- 
chanical, and can be mastered by any one who is willing 
to devote the necessary time and patience to it. Casts 
are made eitlier in i)laster of Paris or gelatine. The pro- 
cess is twofold, the first step being- to make a mould from 
which the cast is afterwards taken. 

To do this fill a pan or basin half-full of water, and 
pour gradually into this enough plaster to absorb the 
water. Then stir with a spoon for a minute or two until 
you have it about the consistency of thin cream. In this 
state it is called "slip." This "slip" when poured over 
a surface to the depth of an inch or two will adapt itself 
to every inequality of surface while in a liquid state, but 
will rapidly harden. If, after hardening, it is removed, 
it will present a reversed copy of the surface over which 
it has been poured. 

Plaster of Paris plaques, for instance, can be readily 
made by pouring "slip" into a x)late or plaque which has 
been thoroughly oiled. Liquid gum arable and dissolved 
alum added to the "slip" will render it extremely hard 
and durable. A plaque thus made can be painted. 

In order to take a cast of a bas-relief in clay build a 
wall of clay around the object to be cast, making it two 



90 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

or three inches high, or, if preferred, a cardboard bos 
exactly fitting it ma^^ be nsed. Oil yonr model, which 
must be thoronghl y dry, with boiled linseed oil, using a 
brush to put it on with. Wipe off nny superfluous oil, 
and pour in the "slip" to the required thickness, shak- 
ing or gently striking the mould to make sure that the 
l)laster settles into every crevice. In about ten minutes 
the cast, though still damp, Avill be firm. Eemove the 
clay wall or the cardboard box, and cut away the edges 
until you can see the line of separation between the 
plaster and the clay. Separate them carefully-, aiding 
the process with a dull kitchen knife. It will take about 
twenty-four hours for the i^laster to become thoroughly 
hard. 

The next cast must be taken in the same way, except 
that the plaster cast just taken is to be used as a mould. 
The resulting cast, if carefully managed, will be a fac- 
simile of the clay mould. When the "slip" is mixed 
with gum arable and alum solution, as directed above, 
such a cast is durable enough to be used as a panel in a 
bracket or Ciibinet. 

Fine casts of wood carving or solid leather work can 
be taken in this way, and if dyed with lamp black, um- 
ber, and beer, will be very good imitations of oak. 

The slip can be tinted with any desired color by mix- 
ing any dissoluble color in the water used for making 
the slip. In bas-reliefs a fine effect may be obtained by 
I)ouring white slip into the sunken portions of the i^laster 
mould, and then filling the mould with slip tinted to a 
delicate shade of blue. When taken from the mould the 
design should ajipear white on a blue ground. 

Casts can also be made to imitate ivory by either using 
milk and water for the slip, or by oiling the completed 
cast with oil in whicii a little beeswax has been dissolved. 
When dry rub with cotton wool, and keej) in a smoky 
rooin/or a while. 



AND now TO USE TIIEM. 91 

Gelatine moulding' is done in tlie same way as monld- 
ing in'plaster, tlie gelatine being dissolved in cold water. 
If to the water is added a very small proportion of tannic 
acid (Mr. Leland says a "few liundredths"), the cast will 
be almost impervious to water. Gelatine is a much 
cleaner material to handle than plaster, and rather easier 
to manage. The best is the French, and can be obtained 
at stores that supply materials for carvers and gilders. 

The directions given above are for flat objects, but 
when a cast from the "round" is to be taken the in'ocess 
becomes more tedious and complicated. An ^gg is one 
of the simplest "round" objects to cast, and the process 
of moulding one of these will iU "Astrate the process to be 
followed generally. 

Have a pan'or dish of sand, and i)lace the egg in it so 
that one half will be above the sand. Pour the slip care- 
fully over this until it is covered to the requisite thick- 
ness. Having the mould of one lialf of the o-gg^ replace 
the egg in it, oil the edges of tlie mould, having dug out 
little holes at intervals to receive corresponding i)rojec- 
tions on the other half of the mould. Cover the other 
half of the egg with slip. When this second half is dry 
oil the insule of both halves, fasten them together by 
means of the holes and projections spoken of, and through 
a small hole prepared for the purpose pour in slip, 
shaking the mould gently until the plaster has hardened. 

Some objects have to be cast in moulds of three or more 
pieces. Sometimes these are separated by means of fine 
strings passed carefully around the mould, the ends com- 
ing through. Sometimes a dull knife is used for this 
purpose, and sometimes the different parts of the mould 
are obtained by successive casts, as was done in getting 
the two parts of the egg. 

Fruits can be very successfully imitated by using wax 
for making the casts from plaster moulds made as de- 



92 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES . 

scribed above. To save expense, however, most fruits 
are cast hollow, which is effected as follows: — 

Soak the two pieces of the mould in hot water. The 
wax should in the meantime be very slowly melted in a 
tin saucepan with a spout to it, care being taken not to 
let it come to aboil, or it will be discolored. A lump the 
size of the object to be imitated, should, as a rule, make 
two casts. 

As soon as the wax is melted thoroughly, place the 
saucepan on the stove, and taking the parts of the mould 
from the hot water, remove the moisture from their 
surfaces b}^ pressing them gently with a handkerchief 
or soft cloth. Use aver?/ light handy merely pressing but 
not wiping the mould. Perform this drying process 
quickly, or the mould will be too cool, congealing the 
wax too rapidly, and causing it to settle into ridges; on 
the other hand, the wax must not be too hot, or it will 
adhere to the mould, and will not come out entire. 

Having laid the two halves of the mould so that there 
can be no mistake in fitting the one to its exact place on 
the other quickly, pour from the saucepan into one of 
the half moulds nearly as much w^ax as will fill tlie hol- 
low made by the model, quickly fit the other half on top 
of it, squeeze the two pieces tighly together in the hand, 
and still holding them thus, turn them over in every 
X)ossible direction, so that the wax which is slowly con- 
gealing in the internal hollow of the mould may be of 
equal thickness in all parts. Having continued this pro- 
cess at least two minutes, the hands (stll holding and 
turning the mould) may be immersed in cold water to 
accelerate the cooling process. The i)erfect congealment 
of the wax may be known after a little experience by the 
absence of the sound of fluid in shaking the mould. 

As soon as the mould is completely cooled, the halves 
may be separated carefully, the upper being lifted 
straight np from the under, aud if the operatiou has been 



AND HOW TO USM THEM. 93 

properly managed, a waxen fac-simile of the model (so 
far as shape is concerned), will be turned out of the 
mould. 

This, however, will require trimming, so as to remove 
the ridge which marks the juncture of the two halves 
of the mould, and any scratches or inequalities make by 
the knife in removing the mould should be polished out 
with a piece of soft rag, wet with spirits of turi^entine 
or wine. 

The wax may be tinted by stirring into it while still on 
the stove a little of the required color. The tube colors 
used by artists are preferable. When required of a very 
delicate tint, as for the green gooseberry, the color may 
be thinned by the addition of a little Canada balsam and 
spirits of wine. The shading and varied coloring must 
be added after the fruit is cast. 

Some of the smaller fruits, such as the raspberry, mul- 
berry, etc., are cast solid. In this case a hole must be 
made through the mould at a point corresponding to that 
at which the stalk is to be inserted. Afterwards the 
stalks are added before the wax is poured iu. 

The stalks of fruit are usually made, like those for 
wax flowers, of wire covered with silk, except in fruits 
having a very large stem, like the cucumber, when a 
roll of green silk or cotton, stiffened by a wire through 
the centre, should be laid on the groove of the mould. 
It is well to allow the cotton or silk to project into the 
body of the fruit at least half an inch, so that when the 
casting is complete, the stalk will be firm in its place 
and will bear the weight of the fruit. 

Wax flowers are made from sheet wax which can be 
bought prepared and tinted for the purpose. For the 
benefit of those who may wish to try preparing the 
sheets themselves, I give the following directions, said 
to be reliable : — 

To every pound of wax we have added about an ounce 



94 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

of Canada balsam, or spirits of turpentine, or of a so- 
lution of resin in spirits of turpentine. I think the 
last named is best for colored wax, but the first or second 
for a white wax. If the wax is frequently melted, it will 
require a little turpentine added to it. A composition 
of tliis kind liaviug been melted in a glue pot, or in any 
other vessel wiiich will not allow the contents to be over- 
heated, should be poured into oblong tin moulds about 
two inches deep, two inches and a half wide, and four 
inches long. These can be made by any tinman; the 
edges should be turned down at the top and strengthened 
with wire as with common bread tins. This tin should 
not be filled quite full, and the wax should be allowed 
to cool slowly, or it will wrinkle and require re-melting. 
Slow melting and slow cooling are essential points. 
When completely cold, the wax will separate from the 
tin by its own contraction, and may be shaken out by 
tapping on the bottom of the mould. You have now a 
block of wax which it is required to make into thin 
sheets, and this is accomplished in the followingmanner: 
Obtain a carpenter's spoke-shave, which is flat, and the 
Made of which is at least an inch broader than your 
block of wax. In order to prevent the block of wax 
from slipping while the shaving is going on, the follow- 
ing plan has proved successful. Have a hard piece of 
wood cut in the shape of a capital T. The cross piece 
should be the width of the block of wax, and the leg 
shonld be about three inches long. This leg must be 
inserted in a square hole in the table on which you in- 
tend shaving. A plug can be made to fit into it when 
the hole would be inconvenient. When shaving the 
block of wax, the top of the cross piece of the T should 
be kept as near the upper edge of the wax as will allow 
the spoke shave to pass easily over it. The shave must 
be well warmed at the fire or by dipping it into hot 
water. If you have two shaves you can warm one, while 



AND HOW TO VSE THEM. 95 

nsing the other. The cutting stroke should be made 
steadily but quickly. The thickness of the sheet must 
depend on the adaptation of the shave, which must be 
learned at the time of purchase. The first three or 
four sheets will not cut equally, but the wax will re- 
melt; the most perfect sheets only should be laid aside 
for use. For preserving them in nice condition, lay them 
between sheets of paper which have been brushed over 
with boiled linseed oil, and which have been allowed to 
dry. The wax may be tinted as directed above by using 
the following colors in different i)roportions: chrome 
yellow, Prussian blue, French ultramarine, carmine, and 
flake or Chinese white. 

Wax flowers are or should be modelled after real ones 
rather than after patterns cut in tin or cardboard, and 
to enable one to do it well several of the flowers to be 
copied should be kept at hand. Pick one carefully to 
pieces, and cut i)etals, calyx, etc., carefully out, curling* 
and moulding them over a long pin. Put them together 
as far as x>ossible in imitation of the way in which they 
grow. The stems are made as directed for fruit, over 
fine wire. Very fine wire may sometimes be used as the 
foundation foi' stamens and i>istils. Begin with very 
simple flowers, and copy Kature as far as possible. Au- 
tumn leaves are one of the easiest things to imitate, and 
are good x>ractice for coloring. As said before, where 
practicable, tinted wax is used to give the local color, 
but this must be shaded and variegated after the petals, 
etc., are cut out. Water colors in powder are used for 
this pmijose, and are applied in the following manner : 
Having taken a very minute quantity of color i^owder 
on the blade of a penknife, lay it upon a palette, or the 
under side of a plate, and press it with the blade to de- 
stroy any lumps. With the penknife also add a very 
small quantit3^ of loeah gum-water, and work the mass to 
the consistency of cream. The colors must be apj)lied 



96 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

with pointed tinting brushes. Each color requires a sep- 
arate brush, as powder color will not mix like fluid ones. 
The brush must be held upright at right angles to the 
wax, and the color applied in the direction of the grain- 
ing. The color must he ap2Jlied at o)ice. 

The flower end of the apple and many other fruits can 
be imitated by pushing a clove into the eye of the fruit. 
Highly glossy fruit may be varnished with mastic. The 
down upon peaches, etc., may be imitated best with the 
flock used by paper-stainers. The fruit having been var- 
nished or wet with spirits of turpentine, should be rolled 
in the flock or bran, the latter blown on it. The bloom 
upon plums and grapes is imitated by dusting them with 
common powder blue. 

When wax-flower making has to be done choose a warm 
situation for your work. If the hands are too hot and 
the wax is thereby rendered too flaccid, wash in tepid 
water. The hands are oftener too cold ; in which case 
washing in hot water and a seat near the fire are recom- 
mended. !N"ever be in a hurry, or you will spoil your 
flower. Be careful in cutting the petals, etc., correctly. 
After having dissected and imitated a flower j)reserve 
patterns and sketches of its different parts, so that when 
the season for the plant has passed other cojiies of it 
may be made. Always hold the flower in the left hand, 
and apply fresh pieces with the right. Coarse silk dip- 
ped in wax may be used for fine stamens. The tips 
dipped in flour and then coated with wax will imitate 
anthers very well. 



AND HOW TO USB THEM. 97 



MODELLING IN GUTTA-PERCHA. 



GuTTA-PEROHA modelling is generally' used to imitate 
Barbotine pottery. It is very easy to do, and the mate- 
rials are comparatively inexpensive. Wliere possible 
buy the gutta-percha in sheets about one-fourth of an 
inch in thickness. 

Boiling water m(i;st always be at hand. Modelling tools 
are useful but not necessary ; as large pins, such as 
those made for Macrame work, will generally answer for 
any moulding. Oil paints, brushes, and a bottle of amber 
enamel are also needed, and a pair of pliers for holding 
the petals, leaves, etc., aud fastening them together will 
be found useful. If you cannot get gutta-i^ercha in 
sheets dip a piece in boiling water for a few seconds and 
roll it out with a heavy round ruler, taking care to wet 
both ruler and drawing board with a sponge to prevent 
sticking. Cut out the petals and leaves roughly with a 
pair of scissors — the exact number with which it is in- 
tended to form a grouj) ; put these tigain into boiling 
water, and then roll out to the desired thickness. Avoid 
getting them too thin, or, when painted, instead of their 
having the appearance of china, they will be more like 
tin. Recut them to the shape and thickness required, 
and with a small ivory or bone paperknife (also wetted) 
draw in the markings liglitly and gently, so as not to cut 
the material (if the gutta-percha is too bard, put it again 
aud again into boiliug water); mould aud bevel the 
petals and leaves upon the fingers, as in leather work. 



98 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

then set tliem aside to ]iarden (this occupies a few min- 
utes); roll out the stalks, getting them nicely rounded, 
and then put all together in readiness for transfer to pot 
or vase, arranging them as you would a natural group of 
flowers. 

To make the petals adhere, hold them for a moment 
to the flame of a candle or match. Wheu slightly soft- 
ened at the base, lay them down on a small piece of 
gutta-percha, about the size of a shilling, aud overlap- 
ping, or not, as in nature. Press them together with 
the pliers or with the paper knife, heating the tool by 
dipping it into the hot water for a few minutes. Some 
find it easier to mould the stems over fine wire, such as 
is used for tissue paper flowers, but a skilful worker will 
dispense with this. It must be remembered that the 
flowers should all appear as if modelled on the vase or 
other object to be decorated. A good liquid glue or 
cement can be used to make the decorations adhere more 
firmly. 

Be careful to put in stamens boldly, but avoid too fine 
details, as that tends to cut up the work, and is unneces- 
sary; i)ress them back well into the centre, and do not 
omit the pistil. Study simplicity in the arrangement of 
groups, and carefully copy the natural growth of the 
flowers. Beginners generally err here, if they have not 
sufficiently observed and studied nature. The vases or 
pots may be in terra-cotta, earthenware salt jars, or the 
little brown jars usually used for culinary purposes— 
these last are most inexpensive, and answer admirably. 
When the group is quite hard and dry, hold the flowers 
to the lighted candle separately, and quickly apply them 
to the vase, taking care that there is no moisture between 
them, for this will surely prevent their adhering. Leave 
the work to stand until it has become firmly fixed to the 
vase, and then begin the painting. 

First lay on a thin coat of flake white (oils) mixed with 



AND HOW TO USE TUEM. 99 

pale amber enamel, using a liog-bair brnsli. Cover it so 
as to loose tbe color of tbe gutta-percba, and paint ajE 
smootblj as possible in one direction, from base to edg^ 
of petals. While that is drying begin the background, 
liolding the vase upon the hand, and, having fully 
charged the brush with color (say black), mixed with 
enamel, begin from the top; about midway use a little 
yellow (middle chrome), and blend it in with white to- 
wards the bottom. Wipe the brush after every color 
and keep the colors separate upon the palette, as in real 
china painting. Mixing them gives a dull effect. Pay 
particular attention to keeping them pure. The brush 
must be fully charged with color, so as to blend the tints, 
and to prevent fiard lines; but the paint must not run 
dov.n, or it will dry in ridges and cause uni^leasant 
breaks on the surface. Continual practice will alone 
provont this. 

For secoiul and third painting of flowers a short sable 
brush is necessary. Blend on the colors smoothly and 
separately, mixing enamel with all of them. For instance, 
if poppies are chosen, use vermilion, dark chrome, flake 
white, and a small touch of crimson lake. These colors 
are opaque (with one exception), and therefore require 
careful treatment; if they do not vary sufficiently, the 
flowers lose their freshness and get tin-like in appear- 
auee. No shadow color is required. By introducing a 
certain proportion of white, sufficient light and shade is 
obtained, and the enamel adds to its transjiarency and 
brightness. 

We will here mention that single flowers are prefer- 
able for this work — sunflowers, poppies, wild roses, con- 
volvuli, garden anemones, ;iiul single dahlias are most 
successful. Double flowers are difficult to manipulate, 
and are not artistic. In paiiitiiig'steras and leaves, apply 
the color as before described, avoiding too vivid greens; 
use plenty of white with these, and keep them in har- 



L.of 



loo NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

mony with the flowers. Always let the latter be proini- 
uent, they being the most interesting feature in the com- 
position. A little burnt sienna on a faded leaf improves 
it; mix with a little white to soften the edges. Knots 
of ribbons can be easily introduced on plaques, and look 
well in binding together, and finishing off a group. 
Butterflies also are useful for filling up open spaces. 
Dog-roses are delicate, and very easy. Use vermilion 
and white, a little chrome, and a tiny streak of crimson 
lake occasionally. In sunflowers, middle chrome, flake 
white, and burut sienna form the principal colors. 

The work is most inexpensive, for, as mentioned be- 
fore, two or three ounces of the material will form a 
group, and the above-named colors are all that are 
necessary. Common pots or jars are recommended, and 
plaques in terra-cotta are especially successful ; the back- 
grounds on them are carried out in the same way as on 
the jars, beginning with wbite, and shading the colors 
towards the bottom; be mindful that this is doue after 
the group is attached to the plaque, and the first wash of 
color has been laid on. 

As in all painting, some knowledge of drawing is nec- 
essary, and those who have studied nature carefully, 
cannot fail to succeed. The object we have in view is to 
make our work resemble china as much as possible, at 
the same time to give the groupings all the fresh look of 
nature. This is obtained by careful modelling, and also 
by laying on the color in thin washes, allowing ever}' 
wash to become perfectly dry before attempting finish. 
Many unhappy bits of work are produced by neglect of 
this rule, and beginners often fail at the outset by 
hurrying on, their only object beiug to obtain an effect; 
this is fatal to progress or success. 

Particular attention to the above simple rules will i)ro- 
duce work almost equal to the original barbotiue china, 
and if persevered iu lyjll ensure success. Keat fingers 



AND BOW TO USE THEM. 



101 



and a certain amo nut of practical knowledge are needed, 
and we would advise everyone in taliing- it up to study 
and copy directly from uuture, thereby producing good 
work, wliicli will not be merely imitative, but artistic. 

Fig. 26 shows a receptacle for flowers in the sliiipe of 
a log made of pottery und oruameuted witlj paiisies mod- 
elled in gutta perch a. Tlie separate parts of the flowers 




Fig. 26. 



and a leaf are shown in Fig. 27. Cut out for each pansy 
two back petals (at the upper right hand corner in Fig. 
27), two side ones (the middle one in the cut), and one 
like that in the lower right hand corner. 

Make the edges irregular and somewhat crinkled as in 
nature. Take great pains to curve and model each 
petal correctly. Press the lower petal with a large pin 
or the^bone paper knife on the right side at the base, so 
as to hollow it slightly. In modelling the petals, it will 
often be found better to heat the tool you use, than the 
petal itself, as there will not be so much danger of pull- 
ing it out of shape. Some prefer to tint the separate 
parts of the flower before making up. If you do so, you 



l62 



NEEDLES AND BRUSUES 



must be careful to leave all parts that are to be joined 
together unpaiuted, as they would not adhere otherwise. 
Model the pistil carefully from a narrow strip of gutta 
percha, copying the (Hit. Press the base of tlie lower 
petal under the pistil, so that the point of the latter 
rests on the hollow base of the petal, pinching tlicni 
carefully together with pliers heated in the boiling 
Avater. When this is firm, press on the side petals, and 
finally the back ones. Model the two ])arts of the calyx 
(seen iu the upper left hand corner of Fig. 27) making 




Fig. 27. 

three of the larger pieces and two of the others. Press 
the three larger at the back of the flower, turning the 
lower part of each back, and curving each towards the 
point resting against the two back petals of the pansy; 
then beneatli tlie front petals fix the two smaller portions 
of the calyx. Examine a real pansy, pulling it to pieces 
to get at the separate parts, if you find difficulty in fol- 
lowing these directions. Make the leaves of different 
sizes, moulding and veining them carefully. The log 
can be painted to suit your taste or can be merely painted 
ii ,?mooth, even white, when it will resemble china. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 103 



CHINA PAINTING. 



I:? cljiiia painting-, as in every other art, success can 
be reached only by diligent, intelligent practice. Ko 
amount of mere verbal directions can ever enable you to 
attain the desirable medium in your work, between too 
thick and too thiu, too dr3" and too wet. The manual 
dexterity, and the artistic judgment, without which suc- 
cess is impossible, are to be secured by diligent pains- 
taking practice, and by that alone. But if you have an 
average amount of taste, a steady hand, and a determina- 
tion to merit success by perseverance, there is no reason 
why you should not, in a time which will seem surpris- 
ingly short after it has passed, i)roduce work quite good 
enough to be used for home decoration, or to secure a 
purchaser if you desire to sell it. 

The expense of an outfit is a very variable quantity; 
but, assumiug that you wish to avoid all unnecessary ex- 
pense, I give below a list of the tools necessary for the 
simpler styles of work, with the prices at which they can 
generally be obtained in Kew York. 

Two good camel's hair brushes. Kos. 4 

and 6, at 10c $0 . 20 

Two small stipplers or blenders, at 15c .30 

A fine brush for tracing : 10 

A horn palette knife 15 

A piece of India ink 15 

One brush about \ inch wide 10 

Total $0.90 



104 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

In addition to tlie above, yon will need a mall quantity 
of spirits of turpentine; about ten cents' worth of oil of 
lavender, which can be bought at any drug store; a com- 
mon plate, to be used as a palette; a few soft rags; a 
little cotton; a few sheets of tracing paper; a slieet or 
two of transfer paper; and a hand rest, cousistiug of a 
strip of wood, a foot or eighteen inches long, by two 
inches wide, with bits of wood of the same width and 
about an inch in length, firmly nailed to each end. 

Having provided tlie tools for your china painting, the 
next requisite is an assortment of colors. For amateurs' 
use, the most convenient are the Lacroix tube colors, 
which can be obtained from any dealer in artists' mate- 
rials. The following list embraces all that is necessary 
for a beginner's use : 

Dark blue, costing per tube, about. . . .$0.20 

Deep ultra marine blue 30 

Light sky blue 25 

Blue green 25 

Yellow ochre 20 

Ivory Yellow 20 

Yellow for mixing 18 

Apple green 20 

Deep chrome green 20 

Brown sepia .20 

Yellow brown 20 

Brown No. 3 20 

Deep red brown 20 

Capucine red 20 

Violet of iron 20 

Neutral gray 20 

Flux 20 

Carmine No. 3 . . .25 

Ivory black 20 

Light carmine No. 1 20 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 105 

The colors printed in italics, though desirable, are not 
absolutely necessary, and may be dispensed with if ecou* 
omy requires. 

A set of colors, specially prepared for grounds, is also 
necessary. These must on no account be mixed with the 
other colors. A good selection is: 

Celadon (a peculiar greenish tint), costing 

l)er tube, about $0.20 

Copper Water Green 20 

Maize 18 

Turquoise blue 30 

Chinese yellow 18 

The colors in china painting cannot be mixed with tlie 
same freedom as in water-colors, for they are sometimes 
very much changed in the liring. Some yellows, for in- 
stance, will cause colors mixed with them to disappear. 
The rules for their use are principally based on the pro- 
portion of iron emplo^^ed in their manufacture, and the 
colors have been divided into three classes— those con- 
taining no iron, those with but little iron, and those into 
whose composition iron enters largely. 

The first class is composed of white, the blues, the 
carmines, the purples, and the violets, excei)ting the 
violet of iron, which is really a red. In this class the 
blues can be used with mixing yellow, the purples, and 
carmines. A little blue can also be used with green, 
when, as is often the case, a bluish green is needed. 
Many shades of violet and purple can be made by tiie 
use of blue and carmine. Next come the colors with 
but little iron, the yellows and the greens. These do not 
mix well with the iron colors, the yellows especially being 
apt to cause red to disappear. Ivory yellow, however, 
mixes well with the flesh red, and is very useful for flesh 
tints. While yellow, as a rule, should not be mixed witli 
the reds, the most brilliant red we can get on china is 



106 NJiEljLES ANJJ BUV^iUES 

obtained by paiutiug with mixiug yellow or orAnge yel- 
low, aud after firing, paiutiug the yellow over witli capu- 
ciue red. Another brilliant red is obtained by mixing 
capuciue red with carmine, No. 2 preferably, but No. 3 
or dark carmine will answer. 

The iron colors are redw, flesh re<ls, red browns, iron 
violets, browns, brown yellows, ochres, bhicks, and most 
of the grays. 1 would advise those who can afford it to 
test their colors on bits of china, making two of each 
color, and sending one to be fired. You can then compare 
the fired color with the unfired, and be more sure of the 
result. 

Having now the materials with which to work, the 
next thing is how to use them. A tile or plate is the best 
thing on which to begin, as a flat surface is the easiest 
thing to manage. It is by no means necessary to buy fine 
china. Common earthen ware plates are just as good to 
learn on, aud much less expensive. 

Have on the table, in addition to your brushes, paints, 
etc., two saucers or small cui)s with turpentine in each. 
Pour a few drops of the turpentine on to your plate, and 
with a rag rub it perfectly clean. You can now draw the 
design with a tolerably hard lead pencil, or you can trans- 
fer it by means of tracing and transfer paper, as directed 
for transferring embroidery designs (p. ). To guard 
against any slipping of the traced design, fasten it where 
necessary to the plate with mucilage or bits of wax, but 
leaving the edges sufiicieutly free to admit of slipping 
the transfer paper underneath. It is best to make your 
first attempt in monochrome, that is, in a single color, 
shaded with itself. A spray of woodbine or Virginia 
creeper is an exeellent design to begin with. Having 
transferred the design, you can render your pattern quite 
safe by going over it with a fine tracer in India ink or a 
little water-color carmine. This is not necessary y but it 
may save you trouble if you should make mistakes in 



AND HOW TO USE TEEM. 107 

your paintiug. If you do use the India ink or carmine, 
wijje your plate off with a little turpentine, and the red 
marks will disappear, leaving the outline in water color. 
Now take your tube of deep red brown, and having un- 
screwed the top, take hold of the very bottom of the 
tube and squeeze very little out on your palette. Pour 
a few drops of turpentine or oil of lavender (I generally 
prefer the latter) on the paint, and rub it smooth with 
the palette knife. Take the largest of your two camel's 
hair brushes, dip it in the turpentine, so as to moisten it 
thoroughly. Then, having wiped the extra moisture out 
on your rag, dip it in the paint. It is well to have an 
extra piece of china on hand to try your brush on. If 
the paint works smoothly, leaving a clear mark, it is 
mixed just right. If it leaves a drop or blot at the end, 
there is too much turpentine in it. Wait a few minutes 
for it to dry. If it sticks and refuses to run, add a few 
more drops of turpentine or oil. 

Having your color i^roperly mixed, paint the leaves 
with a smooth firm stroke, painting from the middle of 
the leaf tow^ard the edges, and making the brush follow 
the general contour of the leaves. Thus in the wood- 
bine the brush marks should all diverge from the point 
where the stem joins the leaf. In a violet leaf, on the 
contrary, the brush should be carried round in a sweep- 
ing curve from the stalk to the point of the leaf. 

The stems of the woodbine can be painted in dark 
brown, or in asphalt, a very useful color to be procured 
at Ulrich's Artists' Materials Store in New York. If the 
design includes berries, paint the little stems joining 
them to the main stalk with capucine red. The berries 
should be put in with ivory black just tinged with dark 
blue. Preserve the circular form of the berry, and leave 
a tiny half moon shaped spot of white china for the high 
light. Tf at first you cannot have this spot, it can be 
scraped out with a pen knife or coarse needle. When 



108 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



this first paiDting is tborouglily dry you can put in the 
sbiuliijg with the same colors. The shading can often be 
very much imjiroved by wiping the color out of your 
brush with a dry rag, and while your painting is still 
moist, toning it down with the cleaned brush. This will 
remedy the abrupt transition from dark to light but must 
be carefully done, for if any turpentine be left in the 
brush, the work will be ruined. It is quite customary to 
outline the designs on china in some darker color, the 
outline serving to throw up the design aud also to em- 
phasize its decorative character. 
In Fig. 28, is given a design, intended for a tile, but 




Fig. 28. 

answering for a flat vase, a pitcher or any similar object. 
The lo(;al tints should first be put in, using chroifte green 
and a very little mixing yellow for the crocus leaves, 



AND HOW TO USE THE^T. 109 

and the same green with a larger proportion of mixing 
yellow for the snow drop leaves. Be careful not to leave 
a blotch where the leaves are crossed by flowers or other 
leaves. If your i)ainting does not look satisfactory, do 
not attempt to remedj^ it, except by wiping it out and 
doing the work over again. Work that has been touched 
up or doctored while wet is never satisfactory, and it 
must always be borne in mind that the furnace or kiln is 
a wonderful revealer of defects, when nnfortnnately it is 
too late to remedy them. So do not be afraid to wipe out 
your work over and over again while it is in jour power 
to do so. 

For the crocuses, mix some carmine and blue to form 
the purple tint, using the blue sparingly as it is an in- 
tense color, and becomes stronger in the firing. Paint 
the crocuses as delicately as possible. The color should 
be as thin as will work well. Begin at the top of the 
petals and make your strokes follow the general direc- 
tion of the outline and the shading. Leave the lower 
part of the tube of the crocus unpainted. For the he- 
paticas use a very thin wash of the same color as the 
crocuses and leaving the places for the calyx unpainted. 
The white of the china gives the local color for the snow 
drops, but for the parts which are shaded in the desigu, 
mix pearl gray with a very little of the light green used 
for the leaves, and paint the shaded parts with delioat-e 
touches, making your stroke follow the direction of the 
copy. The upper part of the hepatica leaf, and t'he 
stems and calices are painted in deep chrome green, 
modified with gray, IsTo. 1. For the lower part use deep 
red brown, modified with gray, No. 1. 

When this first painting is dry you can begin the 
shading. Shade the crocus leaves Avith deep chrome 
green, modified with a very little black, being careful to 
leave a light line down the centre. Shade the snow drop 
leaves with pearl gray, light green, and a little touch of 



110 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

carmine. Be careful to make the stems of the snow 
drop distinct. To do tliis, it may be necessary to give 
them a third painting. The deep color of the crocus 
can be worked down to the light color of the tube with a 
dry brush as described above. 

Sh'ade leaf, etc., of the hepaticas with the respective 
colors in which they are painted. Shade lower part of 
the butterfly's wings with just a touch of black, blending 
it into the yellow as described above. It will be well to 
practice the veinings on the wings and the fine markings 
round the edges on a separate piece of china. A tracer 
is the best brush to use for these, and it is wise to always 
try the point after filling the brush with paint. Make 
the pistil of the hepatica of light green, shading it round 
the edge with gray. The stamens are mere dots of mix- 
ing yellow. Avoid a regular appearance in putting them 
on. Scratch away places for the stamens of the crocus 
and put them in with a mixture of orange yellow and 
capucine red. 

If you have carefully followed the directions thus far 
given you will have learned more of the difficulties in 
your way and how to overcome them, than a long list of 
general rules and directions. Tlie immortal Sqneer's 
principle of teaching— " He goes and does it" — applies 
most forcibly in china painting. Never be afraid to 
wipe out your work. 

A few hints on the use of colors may prove useful. 
Shade capucine red with red brown or a little black, 
yellow with brown green, pink flowers with a mixture of 
carmine and apple green. Blue may be shaded with 
black or black gray. Some blue flowers, such as the 
periwinkle or myrtle, may require the addition of a little 
carmine. Dark purple flowers can be painted with deep 
purple and deep blue, adding more or less of the blue as 
the color desired is more purple or crimson. They should 
be shaded with the same color. When a different color 



AND HOW TO Use THESr. Ill 

is used for lie sliadiug, a little of the local tint should 
be added. 

It is very difficult to obtain a really brilliant red, and 
consequently red flowers should be surrounded as much 
as possible witli green. Sometimes a very good effect is 
obtained by painting the flowers which are to be red first 
with yellow, and after firing, painting with capucine red. 
A touch of carmine gives the pink tinge often found in 
the stalk of a rose. Carmine and capucine red make a 
pretty under tint for red flowers when the under side of 
the petal is exposed. A very light touch of black is 
often useful in shading both green and blue. Violet of 
iron or red brown is verj' effective at the edges of rose 
leaves. Practice and a little study of good painted 
china, where practicable, will soon teach other combina- 
tions. 

A very important part of china painting is learning to 
lay on a flat tint or ground. Like many another thing it 
is quite easy when you have done it, but oftentimes it 
takes many attempts before a beginner gets a smooth 
tint. One might travesty Shakespeare in giving direc- 
tions for this process to an amateur and say " if you have 
patience, prepare to use it now," and speaking from ex- 
perience, I would add, "if you have no patience, don't 
try to lay a ground." 

Some of the grounding colors are much easier to lay 
on tlian others. Pinks, and blues, for instance, are very 
difficult to lay on smoothly, while Chinese yellow and 
maize are easy to manage. 

Whe^ your design has been painted and fired, mix the 
color you intend for the grounding. Using with oil of 
lavender — you can use turpentine, but the lavender is 
much easier to work with, as it does not dry so quickly 
— adding one third as much flux (this is not absolutely 
necessary) as you have paint. Mix your color a little 
thinner than for painting. Have ready a small ball of 



112 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

a piece of clean rag, or bit of chamois leather, so as to 
present a smooth surface about the size of a silver dollar 
or a little larger. The part where it is tied will form a 
convenient handle. Use the wide brush mentioned in 
the list of materials, and paint over the surface to be 
grounded, keeping your strokes as even as possible, and 
working quickly. The grounding tint will necessarily 
cover the design also. As a general thing, by the time 
the paint is all on, the i)art done first is sufficiently dry 
to blend properly. Nothing but experience will teach 
you just how dry it should be. Holding your dabber in 
the right hand, begin where you began to iDaint, and 
dabble the surface with it, striking it perjiendicularly 
with quick but very gentle strokes. Go in this manner 
over the entire surface, repeating the jirocess until the 
tint is perfectly even. If the paint is a little thicker in 
some places than in others, you will find that a little 
practice will enable you, by an intelligent use of the 
dabber, to si)read an even tint over the whole suiface. 
When you have done, there should be an even coat of 
color, without the slightest sign of a brush-mark. If, 
when the paint is dry, the tint is not even, wipe it all off 
and try again. Don't be discouraged at repeated failures. 
Never try to remedy a defect. The only way is to take 
the whole coat of paint oft". Never work where it is dusty. 
If hairs fall from the brush take them carefully off with 
the point of a needle, as otherwise they will leave a mark 
when the firing is done. 

When you are satisfied with the ground, put jour tile 
away where it can dry without danger of becoming dusty. 
When thoroughly dry, clear the design of i)aint with a 
knife, or if your hand is steady, with a brush dipped in 
turpentine, and wiped almost dry. Keep the brush clear 
of color with turpentine. This latter mode, though more 
expeditious, is rather dangerous, as a drop of turpentine 
falling on your ground would entirely spoil it. Then 



AND now TO USE TEEM. 113 

paint over tlie tlesigu as iu the first place. The colors 
lose a little in eacb firing, so that they need, to be 
strengthened before sending a second time to the furnace. 
This way of laying a ground is the best for a beginner, 
but if 3^on are sure of your hand, it is a little more satis- 
factory and expeditious to reverse the order of i)roceed- 
ings, that is, after outlining your design, put on your 
ground first, then clear the sketch from paint, when the 
latter is thoroughly dry, i)aint your design, and have all 
fired at once. 

A tile is the best thing to begin grounding on, but you 
will soon have no difficulty iu tinting other articles. 
When grounding the rim of a plate, draw the brush from 
the inner edge to the circumference. A cup should be 
held by the handle, the strokes running from the bottom 
to the top. The paint that runs over the edge can be 
carefully wiped away with a rag, or in the case of a i)late 
rim, it had better be scraped away when dry with a knife. 
It is necessary to be very careful in this latter i^rocess, 
as the inner edge should be very regular and clear cut. 
In tinting any article presenting a curved surface, a 
brush, called a deer's foot from its shape, is very useful 
for dabbling the curved portions A very pretty style 
of decoration is to ground the article to be decorated in 
two colors. In this case, the design having been painted, 
one color is put on over a portion of the plate, leaving a 
very clear straight margin. This is fired and then the 
other color is put on. I have seen a very pretty cup, 
saucer, and plate decorated in this way with a stem of 
puss3^ willows and quince blossoms, on a blue and maize 
grouu-d. Another style of grounding is what is often 
called a Bennett background. It is much easier to put 
on, but requires good taste in the arrangement of colors. 
To put on such a background, you la}^ on a variety of 
colors, in irregular patches and then blend them all. You 
may, for instance, ground a vase in succession tints from 



114 



NEEDLED AND BRUSIfES 



a warm dark browu at the bottom to the palest blue, or 
you may have a mottled ground of but one color by vary- 
ing the intensity of tlie tints. Turquoise blue or green 
are either of tliem beautiful used in this way. Peculiar 
and oftentimes beautiful effects can be produced by sim- 
ply pouring liquid over a tile or plate, and letting it dry. 

In decorating cups, pitchers, vases, etc., having 
handles, it is often desirable to have the latter much 
darker in color than the body of the object decorate. 
This is effected by putting on repeated coats of color, 
letting each successive coat become thoroughly dry. No 
flattening is needed, as a general rule for such small 
pieces of work. 

In Fig. 29, 1 have used one of Kate Greenaway's sket- 




Flg 29. 



dies to enable me to i)oint out some of the initial steps 
in landscape painting. It affords, also, an illustration of 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 115 

the ease with which decorative designs may be adapted 
to the use of the amateur. 

It can be used for a tile or small plaque or plate. And 
just here perhaps is a good time to say that it is not 
necessary always to buy new china to begin painting on. 
Cups and saucers and plates that have been in use for 
years may be successfully decorated so long as they are 
not flawed in any way, and a first attempt at this design 
may as well be painted on a tea plate as on anything 
else. When finished it makes a pretty ornament when 
hung up. Transfer or sketch your design as previously 
directed. Have the horizon line a little above the middle 
of the plate. Have ready on your palette, some sky 
blue, mixed as for grounding, and also some gray, formed 
by mixing apple green and carmine, using rather more 
carmine than green. Paint the sky over as if for 
grounding, using the sky blue for the npper part, and 
the gray for the lower, taking care to put on the blue 
more thinly as you ax)proach the gray. If you wish 
clouds, wiiie them out very quickly with a cloth, and 
then dabble the whole exactly as you would a ground 
tint. You can paint shadows to your clouds with a gray 
made of ivory black and sky blue, adding, if you wisli, a 
little ivory yellow for the lighter parts. When done, 
the blue should seem to melt into the gray, giving to 
the lower parts of the sky a receding appearance. This 
is called the distance. You may, since the landscape is 
so conventional, omit the clouds if you choose. Now 
carefully clean the plate (after it is thoroughly dry) 
below the horizon line of all color except the lines of the 
design, and paint in your horizon line with ivory black. 
Use a fine pointed brush and make the lines as fine as 
possible, as much of the beauty of your plate depends 
on this being delicately done. While you are waiting 
for the sky to dry you can be painting the foreground. 
The grassy hill must first be washed over with iellow 



116 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

the grassy hill mast first be washed over with yellow 
brown. Observe, in painting, the general direction of 
the shadows, so as to have them all lying the same way. 
It is not at all necessary to have a uniform tint in doing 
this part of the work, a very little care will make the 
darker tints appear where the shadows lie. It is as well 
to dabble over the ground tint, as it makes it a little 
easier to put in the greens afterward. 

If your sky is thoroughly dry by this time, paint the 
water with a tint formed by mixing apple green and sky 
blue. Put on the tint with horizontal strokes, giving 
the appearance of slightly undulating waves, and keep- 
ing the tint slightly deeper as it approaches the shore. 
It is well to have two shades of the paint mixed. By 
mixing the green and blue in nearly even quantities, a 
gray tint is produced, while the addition of a little green 
as the water reaches the shore is a decided improvement. 
But there must be no abrupt transition. Do not dabble 
the water. Sketch your tree and the fence in with dark 
brown. Paint the foliage with grass green, modified 
occasionally with a little mixing yellow. Paint the 
children's dresses and the outside of the umbrellas with 
dark blue, stippling if necessary, to give a smooth tint. 
The caps, aprons, and sleeves are left white, but should 
be outlined with black. The sticks, ribs, and outlines 
of tlie umbrellas should be painted in black. The inside 
of the umbrellas in a mixture of blue and green. The 
faces and hands are painted in ivory yellow and flesh 
red No. 1, put on very thinly, and then the features put 
in with a very fine brush in black— the hair may be yel- 
low or brown. Yon may have some trouble to get the 
faces to suit yon, but patient trying will bring success 
in drawing eyes that don't squint and mouths of a decent 
size, which, after all, is about all that can be attained, as 
the size of the drawing does not allow for much expres- 
sion. Shade the trunk of the tree with dark brown, 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 117 

or i)referal)ly with asphalt, putting the color on with 
short strokes to imitate the roughness of the bark. Out- 
line the fence and i)osts in the same way. Color the 
boats with either brown, green, or dark brown, outlined 
with black, as are the sails, which last are left entire!}" 
free from paint. 

The little village at the right hand can next be 
painted. When the walls are visible paint thorn yellow 
brown, windows black or asx)halt. Tlie roofs can be of 
capucine red, with one or two of brown green, all of 
them being outlined with black. Now paint the grass on 
with different shades of green, using grass green as the 
predominant tint, modifying it with mixing yellow, or 
using brown green where it may seem needed. Paint 
the grass with short, quick strokes. A little practice on 
another piece of china, grounded like your plaque with 
yellow brown will soon give you the requisite touch. 
The birds are painted in ivory black directly on the col- 
or of the sky. When you have the plate fired, have a 
narrow gilt rim put around it. 

While many who attempt china decoration, chiefly con- 
fine themselves to flower painting, the simplest and in 
many respects, most appropriate style of decoration, yet 
there are those who aim higher, and wish to excel in land- 
scape or in figure painting. 

A few general liints as to means employed may be 
useful to those who wish to try a more comi^licated pic- 
ture. Ivory yellow and carnation red in combination 
with the tints given above, may be used for sunset or 
sunrise skies. 

When a purplish tint is wished for the distance, use 
deep rich blue green and carmine. Apple green modi- 
fied witli black green or brown green, can be used for 
the nearer parts. The color for skies should be laid on 
delicately. Use short broad touches in painting foliage. 
Study always the character of the tree and adapt your 



118 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

stroke to the kiud of foliage to be delineated. There is 
great room for study of color in foliage and si)eciHc 
directions are of course impossible. Generally grass green 
may be used for the dominant color, modified with mixed 
yellow for the highlights and with brown green for the 
sliJidows, and if these are dark, adding a little deep blue. 
Kellections of trees in water can be painted with black 
green mixed with grass green. Any light browns may 
be used for the earth, modifying them as necessary with 
black. Very pretty landscapes may be done in mono- 
chrome. Brown or black are the best for these. They 
have the appearance of sepia or India-ink drawings, and 
afford the opportunity for very good study in light or 
shade, and also give room for real artistic work. Some 
of Laudseer's heads of animals afford excellent study for 
these monochrome i)laques. One advantage black and 
white has over color is that color often draws one's atten- 
tion away from the drawing. Having to depend entirely 
on the execution of your picture for effect, you obtain 
a far greater power over your bnisli in using black only 
than you are likely to obtain if you can cover up de- 
fects effectively by combinations of color. 

No one should attempt painting heads unless they can 
draw accui-ately. Bad drawing is never so perceptible 
as in figures. Having your design very accurately 
sketched, the first step in painting a head is to put in 
the back ground with a mixture of one third ivory black 
and two thirds sky blue. Have the tint dark near the 
head, gradually diminishing it in intensity until it is lost 
in the white of the china. The local tint of the face is 
made of one third flesh red No. II. and two thirds ivory 
yellow. This tint can be blended with a small dabber. 
Tiien put in the hair; if dark, use dark browu and shade 
with black mixed with the brown; if light, use yellow 
brown or sei)ia, modified with black. If very light, use 
yellow ivory for the first wash, and shade with sepia and 



AND now TO USE THEM. 119 

black. Never blend tbe hair, but try to mal o your 
strokes give direction to tbe masses. Wben sbadiug use 
a line brush, giving" as mucb as possible the texture of 
tbe bair. Tlie rest of the work can be more safely done 
if you have your work fired at tbis stage. Then deepen 
your ground by cross-hatching it with the tint already 
laid on, making the lines rather broad and slightly curved. 
Put in the features witb a shadow tint formed by mixing 
one third ivory black, one third sky blue, and one third 
flesh red No. II. Vary this tint with more or less red, 
when you wish to lighten the shadow, or in parts where 
the color is particularly ruddy. Deep red brown is used 
for deepening the color on cheeks and lips. It most be 
very carefully used, as it loses a little in firing. A little 
violet of iron, or a little black mixed with the red brown 
can be used for shading tbe lips and nostrils. The eye- 
brows are painted with a tint corresponding to that used 
for the hair. Use sky blue or brown shaded with black 
according to the color. The white of the china can be 
left for the reflected light on tbe eye or it can be touched 
witb permanent white. In painting white drapery, leave 
the china for the local color and shade witb sky blue and 
black. These are ver/ general directions. Each artist 
must make his own combinations, but tbese may 
give a key which will oii3n tbe way for a beginner. 

In giving these directions, I have several times alluded 
to "firing"; the process by which the colors become fixed. 
After china has been fired, mistakes, as a rule, cannot be 
remedied, although sometimes they may be painted over. 
People living near large cities can generally have their 
"firing'" done at a wholesale china store or at a decora- 
tor's. The advertisements of many sucli firms are to be 
found in papers devoted to art worlc, and dealers in ar- 
tists' materials can generallj" get the work done, or pro- 
cure the address of some firm wbo will fire amateur s 
work. The charges for firing are, as a rule, moderate, 



120 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

from five to ten cents for each small piece, such as a 
cup, a saucer, a tile, etc., and increasing in accordance 
to the size and shape of the article to be baked. Gilding 
is generally done by the decorators, as their facilities 
for such work are much greater tiian an amateur can 
have. The charges for this, too, with some firms are 
very moderate. I have had a cup and saucer fired and 
very nicely gilded (a narrow rim round cuj) and saucer, 
with a very prettily decorated handle) for twenty cents. 

Always mark your name or initials or some "trade- 
mark " on the back with black paint, and keep each 
piece carefully away from dust and smoke, enemies to 
be guarded against in all processes of the work. In 
packing china to be carried to the decorator's, the chief 
thing to be guarded against is rubbing. It is very dis- 
heartening to have your china brought back to you with 
parts of the painting entirely removed. By having your 
painting perfectly dry, and packing it in soft paper, you 
will avoid this risk. 

Small kilns for the use of amateurs are to be obtained 
at prices ranging from $3.00 to $25.00. The statement 
has been made that any woman who can bake bread 
properly can manage these kilns, but it is not every one 
who can bake perfectly, and mistakes in firing china 
would be far more lasting and provoking than in baking 
bread. Still, some who have tried them, have had great 
success with them, and the possession of one would be a 
great aid in learning combinations of color, as experi- 
ments could be tried on bits of broken china. 

Sometimes when the firing is done the coloring in part 
or whole will seem weak or faded. This can be remedied 
by iiainting the design over again, especially strengthen- 
ing any weak places, and having the whole fired over. 
Many always have their china fired at least twice, while 
some authorities, amongst whom is Miss McLaughlin, say 
that ordinarily one firing is sufficient. Of course, if the 



AND UOW TO USE TIIEM. 121 

china is to be fired but once, the painting must be more 
carefallj' finished in every \v,\\t Mian if a second painting 
is to be done. Gil<ling should be deferred to the last 
firing. 

Mineral colors come in two forms, — the Lacroix colors, 
which are ready mixed for use, — and in jiowder shape. 
Amateurs generally prefer the former as they are much 
more convenient to use, while professional decorators 
more generally employ the powdered colors. The latter 
are said to retain their brilliancy longer, are cheaper, 
and furnish some very desirable tints not procurable in 
the tube colors. When used with turpentine, they must 
first be thorouglily ground. To do this, put a little of 
the color on the palette, then add just enough fat oil (oil 
of turpentine) to allow of freely mixing the color. This 
must be thoroughly mixed with either palette knife or 
glass muller, the latter being preferable, and then mixed 
with turi)entine as with the tube colors. Care should be 
taken not to use too inujh fat oil. 

The smell of turpentine or oil of lavender is extremely 
unpleasant to some people, in some cases rendering it 
almost impossible for them to practice this branch of art 
work. To obviate this difficulty some use glycerine as a 
medium, and as this mode of mixing the colors has 
certain advantages it may be well to give directions 
for it. 

Grind up the colors with equal jiarts of finely i^owder- 
od gum and glycerine, making the color when mixed 
about the consistency of butter (in ordinary temperate 
weather) and using glycerine to paint Tvith in the place 
of turi>entine. 

Painting done with glycerine does not dry as rapidly 
as when turpentine is used, and it is well to i^lace the 
painting in an oven between the painting and the re- 
touching, as two wet colors will spoil each other. To 
beginners this slowness in drying is sometimes an ad- 



122 NEEDLES AND BBUSEES 

vantage. The colors once mixed with glycerine, can be 
kept ready for painting for several weeks, if carefully 
kepCfrom the dust under a bowl or glass jar, and thus 
some exjiense and trouble are saved. Perhaps it is as 
well to add that with the tube paints, colors left on the 
palette can be used again by the addition of fresh tur- 
pentine. Glycerine paiuting should have a coat of lav- 
endar oil all over it before firing. This should be put 
on, after the painting is thoronglily dry, with a broad 
flat brush in even strokes, proceeding regularly from one 
side to the other. 

Monograms should be very carefully and accurately 
drawn, and can be painted either in colors or 'gold. A 
prepared liquid gold comes for this purpose ready for 
use. It cau also be procured in powder, to be used like 
other colors with turpentine. It should be laid on 
rather thickly. Where colors are used in connection 
with gold, the two should never be laid over each 
other, as they do not fire well. 

MOIST WATER COLORS FOR CHINA PAlNTINa.- 

Some find that the smell of turpentine or lavender oil, 
used in china painting, has an injurious efl'ect on their 
health. Especially is this the case with those whose 
throats are delicate. The moist water colors, prepared 
from china painting, will prove a boon to all such. The 
mechanical part of this work, however, is a little more 
difficult than in using mineral colors mixed with oils. 
The moist water colors for china painting come in pans 
like Winson and Newton's water colors. As they do not 
rub off easily, however, a little must be taken off with 
the palette knife, and rubbed down with a little water. 

With the ordinary mineral paints, it is generally better 
to use the paint in thin washes, thus securing delicacy 
of tint, but with the water colors the opposite course is 
necessary. As much paint should be used with each 
stijoke as the brush will hold. Over-painting is to be 



AND HOW TO USB THEM. 123 

avoided. The painting- lias to be frequently dried on 
the stove, to prevent removal of the underlying color, 
where any strokes have to be repeated. There is more 
need of knowing how colors "lire'' with these colors even, 
than with the ordinary mineral paints, as they look ver}^ 
differently before and after tiring. 

A preparation of megilp comes with the English col- 
ors. Its use is to thicken the paint and make it more 
manageable. With the Dresden colors, a preparation 
called "under glaze " and resembling flux, is furnished. 
This is to be mixed with a drop of fat oil, and one of tur- 
l)entine, and rubbed perfectly smooth on the palette. A 
thin coating of this is then laid over the design and tho- 
roughly dried on the stove. The object is to give a sur- 
face to which the paint will adhere easily. The design 
can be readily seen through this coating ifjjut on in 
ordinary water-colors. 

UNDER GLAZE. 

In all that has been said hitherto, reference has been 
made to painting china proper, that is, pottery that has 
been baked and glazed. The biscuit case, or unbaked 
pottery,can also be decorated, and these decorations made 
permanent by subsequent baking. This work requires 
much more skill as mistakes cannot be so easily rendered 
as in over glaze painting. The ware is so porous before 
baking that the color sinks into it as into almost immedi- 
ately. To obviate this, a thin coating of gum tragacauth 
and water, or size is employed. Having the design 
well-traced, the first washes can be put on in water col- 
ors, mixed with gum and water. Then paint over with 
the mineral color, mixed as for over glaze painting, with 
either turpentine or glycerine. Colors come especially 
l)repared for under glaze decoration. More oil can be 
used on under glaze painting than in over-glaze, because 
the absorbent jiature of biscuit prevents the danger of 



124 NEEDLE 3 AND BRUSHES 

blistering or crazing. The colors iiltaiiiuble for uuder- 
glaze paiutiug are inucli more limited iu number thau for 
china painting. The reds are very poor, and pinks, pur- 
ples, and some light colors, must be left for over glaze. 

The colors change much more in the process of firing 
in under-glaze thau in china painting After having 
once beeu fired, additional touches may be given with 
the over-glaze colors, aud iu the hauds of an expert very 
fine results are produced. Under-glaze is a favorite 
mode of decoration with those who are good colorists, as 
well as skillful handlers of the brush. 

Some times biscuit is decorated with oil paints, being 
subjected to a slight firing which fixes the colors,"* but 
this decoration is, of course not so durable as when done 
with mineral colors. 

I have seen a couple of little brown stone jars or bot- 
tles which had been, when bought, filled with French 
mustard, very prettily decorated with sprays of flowers, 
on a mottled background, painted in oil and then fired. 
They had very much the eifect of under-glaze i)ainting. 

Special colors are sold for the different varieties of 
pottery or vitreous i)ainting, as for over-glaze, under- 
glaze, glass, terra cotta, etc., but the general principles 
for using them are the same iu all cases. 



LEATHER WORK 

AND 

PAPIER MACHE. 



The heading of this chapter will, to most readers, I 
fancy, bring to mind the leather work so fashionable 
some years ago, which consisted in cutting out leav^es, 
flowers, etc., from sheet leather, and, after veining 
and moulding them into graceful and natural positions, 
glueing them on to a foundation. Tbis work was some- 
times left the natural color of the leather, but more 
often was stained almost black.' Some of the work done 
was very beautiful, but it soon went out of favor, and 
little of it is now seen. The art of making it is very 
simple, hardly requiring directions. The leaves (which 
wsre the most desirable objects to be copied) are cut 
out, and while damp, veined with a bodkin or a tooling 
wheel (a tracing wheel without the sharp points), bent 
into shape and mounted on stems. These stems, as in 
wax flowers, are made of fine wire, covered, however, 
with thin leather instead of silk. Tendrils are made of 
narrow strips of leather, well dampened in salt or alum 
water, and rolled about a round stick to dry. The leaves 
are stretched over any suitable curved surface, such as 
the bowl of a spoon, a ball, etc., to give the desired 
shape. Sometimes moulding with the Angers is all that 
125 



126 NEBDLES AND BRVSHES 

is necessary. Much of [the success of this kind of work 
must depend on tbe skill and ing-enuity of the worker. 

But there is another much more satisfactory kind of 
work to be done in leather. It is an ancient art revived. 
Like repoussee work it owes this recognition to Mr. 
Leland, so far at least as amateurs are concerned. 

In the Art Union for 1847, a long and interesting- 
account is given of what is called a patent process of 
working in relievo leather practised by Messrs. F. Leake 
& Co., of London, and several of the illustrations here 
given are copies of work done by that firm. To quote 
from the article in question; 

"It will scarcely be believed that leather thus pre- 
pared is a material sufficiently tractable to assume all the 
sharpness and nicety of touch which distinguish these 
works; but in the flowers, fruits, and animals — figures 
which are executed in profusion, there is discoverable, 
with the liberal and mellow breadth to which we have 
alluded, a sharpness and fineness of outline all sufficient 
for the closest imitation of nature; and it might be sup- 
posed, from the tenacious quality of the material, that 
the assumption of delicate form might only be temporary 
— that the necessary tension might yield to time, to 
damp, or to some of the numerous fortuities to which 
furniture and interior ornament are exposed, but .there 
is no reason to apprehend changes of this kind, since it 
is found to maintain incorruptibly every form confided 
to it, and with age, to acquire a superior quality of 
durability. 

Fig. 30 is the cover for a book, designed by Owen 
Jones, and to any one who has learned to carve in 
intaglio will not prove difficult of execution. Of course* 
another title could be substituted for the "Gray's Elegy," 
or the center might be filled with an "all over" design, 
the whole work being used as a panel, or, the border 
alone being used, a remarkably beautiful frame would be 



AND HOW TO DSB THEM. 



12 r 



the result; all the illustrations can be used also for wood 
carving or brass work. 




Fig. 30. 



The material necessary for undertaking this work is not 



128 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

necessarily expensive. For coarse work you can use 
scraps of leather which can be obtained at a low price 
from a book bindery; scrape or rasp these to powder, 
and mix thoroughly with paper and dextrine paste or 
patent knotting. Roll perfectly smooth with a wooden 
ruler. Draw or transfer a design to it, and depress the 
background as in repoussee work. Or you may have the 
design either cut in intaglio in wood, or in the shape of a 
plaster mould well hardened with gum arabic and alum- 
Press your soft leather into this, hammering it gently 
into every part of the mould. 

The leather is softened by being soaked in a pot or 
Ijan of alum water, made in the proportion of a table 
spoonful of alum to a pint of water. Salt may be sub- 
stituted for the alum. Soak the leather from ten 
minutes to ten hours, as you find desirable. Experience 
will teach you when it is in the right condition. The 
water may be either hot or cold; in this, also, "judg- 
ment " being the only guide." 

Another easy way of ornamenting it is to cut a pattern 
with the fret saw from sheet-iron, brass, or zinc, and 
press it into the soft leather. It can be dyed a good 
black, and when thoroughly dry will be extremely hard 
and almost unbreakable. 

For finer work, sheets of basil or skiver are used, 
either alone or in connection with papier maclie or 
leather scraps. 

A i)late or a small wooden bowl may be used as a 
foundation. Lay on it a piece of soft, damp paper to 
X)revent the subsequent work from sticking to the plate. 
Then cut from fifteen to twenty pieces exactly fitting 
the plate, from soft newspaper, and with dextrine or 
even with good flour paste, paste them together, keep- 
ing them as smooth as possible. 

Have ready some sand tied up in a piece of stout 
cloth, and use it as a mallet to make the layers lie 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 129 

perfectly even. Strike gently over the surface until 
the paper plate is perfectlj^ smooth and even. Instead 
of the paper you can use leather scraps, soaking them 
from ten to fifteen minutes in hot alum water, and then 
fitting them together so as to form a smooth surface, 
using the sand bag to secure an equal thickness 
throughout. As you become used to handling this 
pasted paper or leather, you will find you can mould it 
like wax in your hands, and, with practice can model 
from it any desired object. When you have attained 
some degree of skill in handling it, you can model your 
ornamentation as you would in clay. Few tools are needed 
for this work. A few gouges, both flat and balf round, 
a pen-knife, jjair of scissors, compasses, and a coui)le of 
pattern or tracing wheels, one with and one without 
sharp points are all that need be bought. A wooden 
knife with a point is needed for various purposes, such 
as scraping, working the leather into corners, etc. 
Wooden gouges and chisels can be whittled out as you 
find need for them. One or two grounding tools like 
those used imrepoussee work will be found useful. 

Having your papier mache or leather "core" ready 
you can ornament it by means of designs cut out of 
thick card-board, or out of a sheet of papier macho of 
the proper thickness. Thus you can arrange a wreath 
of ivy leaves, or cut Gothic letters to form a motto 
round the edge. 

Rosette designs can be formed by using wooden 
button moulds, or you can make rosettes of papier 
mach6 or card-board, and arrange them round the edge 
of the "plate or bo\vl, glueing or pasting them into 
position. Then take a piece of thin skiver which has 
lain in hot water for two or three minutes and lay it on 
the core. It should be an inch or two larger in diameter 
than the "plate. With fingers and tools stretch it care- 
fully over the inside of the core, working it into every 



130 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

corner and depression. To do this successfully, you 
must begin at the centre and work outwards in all sides 
When finished, the leather should look as if the orna- 
ments had been originally moulded from it. Draw the 
leather over the edges and paste it down on the wrong 
side. Cover the under side with a piece of skiver, 
glueing it neatly on. The ground between the ornaments 
ciui be indented with a cross hatched punch if desired. 
Should your leather become dry, moisten it with a 
sponge. 

To make around box, the core should be made round a 
wooden cylinder, the ornamentation being either modelled 
by hand, or else cut out and glued on as described for 
the plate above. The bottom of the box can either be 
moulded on the cylinder, thus making the box in one 
piece, or can be cut out and glued on afterwards. Slip 
the core off the cylinder and cover with damp skiver as 
directed. Form the cover in the same way. A piece of 
thick card-board i)rojecting above the box should be 
fitted into it to hold the cover on. 

Tankards can be made in the same way over cylindrical 
cones of wood. Handles can be fitted on if desired, made 
of leather waste and rolled. If the glue used in making 
the core have bi-chi'omate of potash mixed with it, the 
papier mache will be water-i^roof. If instead of a papier 
mache core solid boiled leather be used, the tankards 
will be serviceable for holding liquids. 

Quivers, shot flasks, and horns are all suitable subjects 
for leather work, and varied designs can be found in 
many books of antiquities. Boubonnieres of all sorts 
can be manufactured from papier mache and then 
painted, varnished or inlaid. China figures can be 
bought at the toy stores on which these can be moulded. 
When necessary, the papier mach6 can be cut apart, and 
afterwards sewn or glued together. A little study of 
f^ome of the bonbonni^res now furnished will enable any 



AND MOW TO USE THEM. 131 

one to carry out this idea. When leather work is backed 
with a mixture of glue and naptha, it becomes as hard 
as horn, and almost unbreakable. If the design is 
worked in very high relief the back should be filled up 
with sawdust and glue, cement, or with plaster of Paris 
mixed with gum arable. 

Very good effects are produced by heating the brass 
stamps already alluded to, and pressing them into the 
leather. Gilding may also be applied to leather with 
very good effect. To stain it black, use good ink or 
ebony stain. 



PAPIEE MACHe. 

Some idea of the capabilities of papier mache can be 
formed from the following extract from a late paper. 
The speaker is a "property man" at one of the Kew 
York theatres. 

"Urns, vases, bronzes, carved mantlepieces, helmets, 
shields, and similar "props" are all made from old paper. 
Yea, even a Grecian urn, on which Keats might write 
an ode, can be built out of paper, which may once have 
enclosed the uiipoetic but soul-searching ham; I can 
give you a description of the method of making an urn, 
and that will serve as an earnest of all the rest." The 
process of making a plaster mould for an urn having 
been describetl, the property man goes on to say:— 

":N'ow we are ready for tlie paper. It must be heavy 
and free from glazing. Ruthlessly tear this paper into 
amall pieces, and soak it well in clean water. While the 
paper is in the water, you proceed to grease the mould 
well with sweet oil or lard. If this is not properly done 
it results in dire disaster at a later stage of the work. 
Now lay on a coat of wet paper. Be careful to fill up 
all the works and crannies of the mould. Put on four 
more coats of paper. Then put on a layer of muslin and 



132 NEEDLES AND BRTTSHEa 

glue. Now put on three more coats of paper. Now it 
must be left to dry for twelve hours. ^When it is so dry 
you couldn't squeeze a tear out with a hydraulic ram, 
draw out the inner coats of paper, leaving the muslin 
and tliree outside coats. 1 ought to have told you that 
only one-half of the urn is made in this way at a time. 
When both halves are ready, trim down the edges care- 
fully and sew them together with stout twine. Cover 
tiie seam with a thin coat of paper, and then you are 
ready for the painting. First give it a coat of whitening. 
Then sandpaper it well. Now you may apply the final 
color. You can get up a handsome blue and gold vase 
by the use of blue paint and gold leaf. Bronze is 
imitated very closely by a coat of bronze powder, which 
you can get at any paint store." 

Impressions can be taken of inscriiptions, old brasses, 
etc., by first oiling them, and then pressing wet paper 
thoroughly ink) every indentation. Such impressions are 
called "squeezes," and are used to obtain fac similes of 
.nscriptions. By diligent use of the sand bag, papier 
mache can be rendered very hard. The extreme ligli-t- 
ness of objects made from it is a great advantage. 

Members of amateurs' theatrical clubs might find it 
atlvautageous to jiractice this art somewhat, as it might 
sometimes aid them in making needful properties. 

Helmets, shields, swords, etc., could be fashioned with 
comparatively little difficulty. 

Papier mache is extensively manufactured in Birming- 
ham, England. At one time it was largely employed in 
the interior decoration of houses in place of stucco. 

Many fine buildings are thus adorned. 

In Birmingham, articles made of this material ate 
coated with successive layers of asphalt varnish, which 
being dried by oven heat, leaves a surface capable of 
receiving a higli polish. jMother of pearl is much used 
in their decoration; for which purpose, when several 



AND HOW TO USE THEk. 1^8 

layers of the varuisli still remain to be apphed, thin 
flakes of the shell are placed ou the varuish iu the 
required design, and are covered by the succeeding 
layers, giviug rise to slight elevatious when they are 
hidden by the coats of varnish The surface is then 
ground down smooth with sand paper and polished, and 
the griudiug down brings to light the pieces of mother of 
pearl shell, which thus present the appearance of inlaid 
patterns. The fine surface which can be given to the 
asphalt varuish, also permits of burnished gilding and 
other decoration applications with excellent effect. 

Papier maclie may also be used for relief ornameutn- 
tion for I'riezes, etc. The surface to be decorated should 
first be hacked with a knife, and then kalsomined, saw- 
dust beiug added to the kalsomiue, so as to give a rougli 
surface on which the papier mache ornaments are 
fastened by means of strong glue. The papier mache 
should have gum arable and a little glycerine added to 
it. The latter prevents the composition from drying too 
rapidly. Wild roses, passion flowers, etc., can be advan- 
tageously used for such decorations, which should be 
painted over with different colored bronzes. 

It should be remembered that both in leather work 
and papier mache, it is desirable to model rather than 
stamp or mould. The material w hen properly treated is 
quite as plastic as clay, and will well repay the efforts 
made in learning to manage it iiroperly. 

Fig. 31 shows a chair bolster covered with dark browii 
morocco which is ornamented in a. peculiar way called 
"racing." The rosettes, loops, and tassels at the ends 
are also made of the same material, the first catching 
together the leather covering which is here gathered 
and drawn iu close; from four to five inches are to be 
allowed in length beyond the measure. To make the 
raced design (which can be drawn on the leather with a 
colored pencil, or else transferred) the outlines must first 



1^4 



NEEDLES ANJJ J^ RUSHES 



be carofiiU^^ pierced out with a sliari3 penknife; before 
taking- away tlie raced upper part of the leather, whicli 
can be removed either from the design proper, or from 




Fisr. 31. 



the ground, the leather must be thoroughly soaked in 
water at the back, so that the outer part of the skin 
may draw off easily and the leather be smooth beneath, 
and the cut design clearly visible. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



135 



Fig. 32 is' a sofa cnsliion decorated in the same 
way, the working' detail being given in Fig. 33. In 
the model, tlie leather cover is fastened down by small 
loops going over pompons (or woolen bnlls made after 






Fig. 32. 



directions on page "in chapter on crochet") above a 
plnsh strip set on to the edge of tlie cushion; 
larger pompons finish the corners. Brown . leather, 
with brown or fawn colored plush, with T>on:- 



136 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



pons, either corresponding or of two shades, would b© 
pretty colors. 




Mg. 33. 

Fig. 34 is a book cover to be inude in lieavy leather 
worked in relief as directed above. 

TO PAINT LEATHER. 



Select leather that has been thoroughly well dressed, 
draw upon it with a chalk pencil the subject to be 
painted, and size all over the design. Use the common 
size bf ught at an ordinary oil and color shop, melted 
over the fire and used warm. Paint with ordinary tube 
oil colors, mixing the colors as for oil iiaiiitiug, and add- 
ing to each some japanners' gold size as a dryer. When 
it is only required to turn the leather black, and it has 
previously been well dressed, it will be so well impreg- 
nated with the astringent i)arts of oak bark as only to 



AND BOW TO USE THEM, 



i3t 




rig. w 



138 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

need riibbiug over two or tUree timew with a solution of 
vitriol. A gloss cnn afterwards be given fco this black 
leather by rnbbiiig it over witli a mixture of gum arable 
aud size melted in vinegar. Should tiie b ack produced 
by the vitriol not be deep euougii, grind up some lamp 
black in linseed oil aud rub it on before putting ou tlie 
glazing. When small places in the painting require 
gilding, g.> over tliese parts with the white of an egi^, 
and attach the g')ld leaf to them, having previonsly 
waxed a piece of tissue paper, taken up the gold leaf on 
it, and cut it to the size required. When a large surface 
requires gilding, take some brown red, grind itiu a mul- 
ler, and mix it with water and chalk, iind when the chalk 
is dissolve!], rub it over the leather until the whole sur- 
face has a whitish look. Attach whole sheets of gold 
leaf to the tissue paper, and lay them upon the leather 
before it is dry, taking care that the edges of the leaves 
overlap each other Allow the leather to dry aud harden, 
and then polish the gold well, but lightly rubbing it 
with an ivory polisher. — from the Art Interchange. 

HOW TO OllNAMENT IIOKNS. 

It is not generally known that common ox horns can 
be so workeil and decorated as to make both useful and 
ornamental objects. The modern spelling of lantern is 
rather unlortunnte, inasmu(Mi as it loses sight of the 
origin of that extremely useful article, the lanthorn of 
King Alfred's invention, in which thin plates of trans- 
lucent horn were used to guard that monarch's candle 
clocks from the wind. 

Drinking horns in earlier days were often decorated 
profusely, and many fine specimens still exist. In the 
earlier part of the century, horns were constantly used 
as powder flasks, and luuch care was often bestowed on 
giving them a fine polish, in itself a great ornament, for 



AND ROW TO USE THEM. 139 

OX liorus show, when polished, beautiful gradations of 
color. 

As far down as the time of George II, but dating back 
to the time when printing was an unknown art, "horn 
books" were in use in England in the i)lace of tbe many 
primers and other elementary books which now flood the 
coniitry. These consisted of a single leaf, containing on 
one side the alphabet, large and small, in black letter or 
in Roman, with perhaps a small regiment of mono- 
syllables. Then followed a form of exorcism and the 
Lord's Prayer, and as a finale, the Eoman numerals. 
The leaf was usually set in a wooden frame, with a slice 
of transparent horn in front — hence the name of horn 
book. There was a handle to hold it by, and usually 
tliis handle had a hole for a string, whereby the appar- 
atus was fastened to the girdle. Sometimes the leaf was 
simply pasted to a slice of horn. These horn books are 
extremely rare now. Sheustone alludes to them in his 
poem, "The Schoolmistress." When alluding to the 
children he says: — 

" Their books of Btature smaU, they take in hand, 
Which with peUucid honi secured are, 
To save from fingers wet the letters fair." 

Horns can be easily softened in hot water, and, so 
softened, can be flattened, or otherwise moulded. But 
tlie natural form is so gracefnl tliat one would hardly 
wisii to alter it. unless it be to present a little more con- 
venient surface for decoration. If the horns are procured 
at a slaughter house, they will need cleaning the first 
thing. This is done by soaking them in water, when the 
pith can easily be separated from the outside. Cups or 
tankards can be made of them by cutting off a section of 
the proper length. In order to render the horn soft enough 
to cut, it mnst be soaked in boiling water. While still 



140 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

Soft, a groove can be cut on the inside about a quarter 
or half an inch from the bottom. Into this fit a circular 
piece of metal or horn. A little ingenuity will enable 
one to fit on brass mountiugs at toj) and bottom. These 
mountings can be rendered still further oruamental by 
either chasing or repoussee work. In their original shape 
or sligbtly flattened liorus, can be ornamented in various 
ways, and utilized for holdiug flowers, grasses, or made 
into bonbonnieres, or simply hung up as ornaments. To 
polish them, they should be rubbed with fine sand and 
emery i)aper, then with whiting, and finished off with a 
little sweet oil on a piece of chamois, or with a little sub- 
nitrate of bismuth, rubbed in with the hand. 

The horns, thus polished, can be either etched on, 
which is done by coating tliem with wax, scratching out 
the design, and then pouring acid and water over the 
whole or they can have designs painted on them in oil 
colors, or they can be decorated with ink or stain of no 
appropriate color. In the latter case, the design should 
be cut lightly in the horn with a very small V tool, and 
the groove thus made filled with ink or stain by means 
of a camel's hair brush. 

Prepared for ponder flasks they would add an 
important item to the woefully short list of presents 
really useful and appropriate for gentlemen. A wooden 
plate sliould be fastened into the bottom of the horn, and 
a stopper more or less ornamental to the upper end, 
which would have to be sawed off a short distance from 
the tip. A worker in metals could doubtless fasten on 
one of the jiatent tops now generally used on powder 
flasks. A string should be fasteued to either end 
sufficiently long to permit of the flask being worn sus- 
I>ended over the shoulder. Either simply polished or 
ornamented with some of the ancient Celtic or those 
designs to be found in books on antiquities, this woxild 
form a charming gift, 



AliD HOW TO USE TEEM. Ul 

Horn can be stained to imitate tortoise shell as 
follows: — 

Mix an equal quantity of quicklime and red lead, with 
strong soap suds or a solution of potash. Be very care- 
ful in using this mixture as it will burn your hands 
or clothes. Lay it on with a small brush, imitating the 
mottling of real tortoise shell. Give the horn several coats 
of this, letting it dry between each application. Then lay 
it for a few hours in vinegar and alum, wash it in clear 
water and polish. I have not tried it, but I fancy this 
horn so treated might be used for inlay work on papier 
mache in the same way that was described for mother of 
pearl. In connection with a tasteful use of gilding, very 
handsome articles could be made in this way. 




REPOUSSEE WORK. 



One of the latest fashions in decoration art is for ham- 
mered metal work. Like most of our present decoration 
it is but an old— a very old — fashion revived. Beiiveuuto 
Cellini, who lived early in the sixteenth century, did 
much to develope this art in its various branches. 

To the uninitiated the idea of hammering metals does 
not seem very attractive, for it looks like very hard 
work. But such is not the case. The sheet brass which 
is principally used comes in a great manj^ degrees of 
thickness, some of it being very thin. Many of the 
sheets can readily be sawed by the fret saw into the 
desired shapes, the embossed or repoussee pattern being 
then hammered in. 

The materials for this work are some pieces of sheet 
brass, preferably thin, a tool called a tracer, a chaser's 
hammer and one or more grounding tools. The brass is 
sold by weight at about thirty-five cents a pound, the 
tools twenty to thirty cents each. A piece of smooth 
board is also needed, and a few screws. 

Before beginning to work at a pattern, it is absolutely 
essential to learn to use the tracer loell. Metal work dif- 
fers from most other kinds of decoration in this 
one thing, it is almost impossible to rectify a Avrong 
stroke. Take some scraps of brass— those left after 
sawing out a plaque or bellows cover, or whatever other 
object you may intend working-and having drawn straight 

142 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 143 

and curved lines ou it with a soft black lead pencil, go 
over these lines with your tracer, holding the latter per- 
pendicularly and giving it a gentle taj) with the hammer. 
To prevent your brass wabbling it is best to screw it by 
the corners to a board. In cutting out objects to be 
decorated it is necessary, generally, to leave a margin, 
not only for the screws, but to leave space for the mount- 
ing when necessary. At first yon will find the lines you 
trace to be anything but lines of beauty, but as you 
I>roceed you will, with care, improve The traced line 
should be continuous, never showing any marks of the 
tracer having been taken np and put down again. The 
first tracing sliould be very gently done, so as to make a 
ver^' faint outline. In embossing a jjattern, the outlines 
have to be gone over again and again at difl'erent times. 
A thoroughly well-drawn pattern is essential in this 
work. You can either copy it on the brass with a lead- 
jjencil or transfer it by means of tracing and transfer 
papers Be sure, liowever, before you begin work that 
every line is accurate. Having traced all the outlines 
very faintly with your hammer and tracer, you are now 
ready for the grounding. Your brass mnst be well 
scr<jwcd down, being sure that you have it very smooth. 
Your grounding tool shouldbe an eighth or a tenth of an 
inch in diameter at the working end, which should be 
roughened like a seal. Go over the whole of the back- 
ground with this tool, holding it perpendicularly and 
striking lightly. Work from your outline edges outward 
in all directions, trying to keep your work equal — that is, 
to not hammer too long on one side of your pattern 
before going to the opposite side Neglect of this pre- 
caution will give your work an uusymmetrical look which 
no subsequent tinkering will remedy. Hammer lightly 
at first. Heavy blows will be apt to result in breaking 
the brass. As yon hammer you will see your pattern 
gradually coming out in relief. When the embossing is 



144 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

sufficioutly i)romiuent, unscrew your work, uud take it to 
a Avorker iu metals, who will moiiut it in a narrow, 
strong", brass frame A jeweler would i^robably be able 
to do this liimself or could get it done lor you. 

Tuis repoussee work can be applied to many uses. 
Plaques or platters, ornamental false hinges, keyhole 
l)lates, bellows covers, panels and picture frames, and a 
large variety of other articles of bouseliold use or home 
decoration, can all be easily made when the rudiments are 
once thoroughly learned. Cups can be made by working 
the brass flat and having it made uj) and a bottom put in 
by a tinsmith. The patterns should be bold and conven- 
tional. Petty work, always inartistic is peculiarly out 
of place on metals. 

To polish brass, the best way probably is to rub it 
thoroughly with rotten stone or tripoli and turi)entine, 
finishing it off with chamois leather and oil. In your 
designs avoid, in the beginning, any unnecessary inside 
lines. The simple outlines of a bird or fish are very 
striking and arabesque designs have an excellent effect. 

For the benefit of those who aspire to more elaborate 
work on heavier metal. I will quote the directions given 
by Mr. Leland, who was the pioneer in the revival of 
this art in both America and England. Amateurs owe 
him a debt of gratitude for the invention of the mode 
described above of hammering thin brass. Formerly the 
only way known of doing respoussee work was by the 
use of the pitch bed described in the following extract. 

"You will, as you use thicker sheets, wish to hammer 
sometimes from the back into the raised i)atterns, either 
to produce a deeper relief, or to smoothe and correct 
inequalities. For this purpose you must make a bed of 
so-called pitch or composition, which, when hard, yields 
only gradually under the hammer. You have already 
learned that in hammering on a soft pine board, it was 
necessary to work on some basis which resisted while it 



AND HOW 10 USE THEM. 145 

yielded. But the fibrous structure of the wood om^ 
permits a certain decree of yielding. To obtain a deep 
relief, something' must be used, which, while it resists 
somewhat, or is difficult to i)euetrate, must also be grad- 
ually i)enetrable to almost any extent. For this i^urpose 
make a bed of brick dust, or plaster of Paris, fine sand 
or ashes, or even dust, which is to be thoroughly mixed 
with pitch (or rosin), in equal parts with the dust, and a 
very little tallow or turpentine. Those who supply' 
jewelers' tools generally keep this composition for 
sale, at tweutj^-flve cents a pound, in cakes. When the 
brass is laid on a bed of this, it can be indented very 
easily on either side, and by turning alternately. If you 
have a sheet of brass or thin silver cup or plate or 
goblet, or salver, you can till it with the melted pitch, or 
"back it," and can then work easily on the outside. If 
you wish to raise a bunch of grapes an inch or two 
inches, you must hammer them out from tlie inside, and 
then, to linish the work, tuAi it again, and execute the 
more delicate parts from the outside. * ^ * * * * 
It is advisable, after preparing the bed of pitch, to give 
it the thinnest possible coat of oil. This causes the metal 
to work better on it. If there is too much oil it will not 
adhere. It is often necessary in heavy metal and in 
working deep relief, to ajineal the work. This is effected 
by placing it in an oven bed of coals till it becomes soft — 
not in the least melted, however,— and then removing 
it very carefully with pincers or pliers. It was with 
such pincers, usually confounded with tongs, that Saint 
Dunstan, 

" As the story goes, 

Once took the devil by the nose," 

while the Saint was annealing metal. Whoever has 
annealed knows how vexing it is to be interrupted just 
at the critical moment, and the Evil One, knowing this, 



146 NEEDLES AND DBUSHIJS 

I'liose tbat time to provoke the Saint to unsaintly anger* 
Saint Dnnstan, or as the French say, Saint Eloy, instead 
of giving way to wrath, calmly took Satan by the nose^ 
drawing it out to the great length which it has since 
had, and destroying the last trace of beauty in the fallen 
angel. The story was intended to teach all workers in 
brass and other metalSj that they must be very patient, 
especially in annealing. Annealing oxidizes and softens 
the metal. While hammering cold sheet brass, the oft 
repeated blows harden the metal and cause brittleness. 
This brittleness is removed by annealing, which restores 
the original ductility or softness. After working, the 
metal must be cleaned by boiling it in sulphuric acid, 
mixed or diluted with from six to twelve parts of water. 
With thin sheets of good metal, annealing for amateurs 
will not be necessary when making basso-relievos, or very 
low relief. " 

Sheet silver can be worked in the same way as brass. 
A napkin ring or a bangle bracelet can thus be made 
by an amateur. The most workmanlike way would be 
to i)rocure the circlet ready joined, and work it on a 
wooden block wrapped with i^aper to make it fit tightly, 
or else to fill it with " pitch ; " or it can be worked fiat 
and afterwards made up by a jeweler, who will also 
solder up any little holes you may have made. Often the 
ground of beaten silver will turn black with time, but 
this adds to its beauty by bringing out the work in 
stronger relief. 

Simple designs may also be engraved on silver by 
the amateur. The work is done with a graver simi- 
lar to that used by a wood engraver. Practice on a 
piece of zinc, cutting perfectly straight lines, cutting 
them lightly or more deeply at will. Vary this with 
curves and spirals. 

Metals may also be etched. The directions given 
by tlie author already quoted, are as follows ; 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



147 



" Cover the metal with varuisli ; let it dry, and 
then draw your pattern with a sharp point— say, a 
needle — simply removing the varnish and exposing 
just so much of the metal as you wish to show 
black lines. Put strips of wax around the metal, 
and then pour on it a mixture of one part of acid 
to three of water. Brush away the bubbles, as they 
gather, with a feather, or the lines will be very 
ragged. Then pour out the acid and water and 
wash away all the varnish with turpentine. Then 
you will find your drawing engraved on the shining 
surface." 

As one proceeds in hammering brass, there will be 
an ever increasing demand for new tools, to fit into 
the corners and twists of the design, or to produce 
a given effect in the grounding. If bought, these 
will cost a considerable sum, but they can easily be 




Fig. .?.5. 



manufactured at home from square steel rod, or 
wire, sold at the tool shops for this purpose. Cut 



148 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



this into pieces about four inches long by means of 
a triangular file. Thin both ends a little, and by 
means of a file form surface of one end into the 
shape required, square, convex, gouge-shaped, etc. 
Harden it by heating to a yellow heat and dip into 
oil or water. 




Fig. 36. 



Sectional patterns are given for small waiters, or 
plaques. A fine collection of designs by Mr. Leland 
by the Art Interchange, have been published which 
will be of great service to those pursuing this art. 

It should be added that all lines inside the design 

should be worked before the ground is hammered, 

as the brass cannot be worked after it has been 
Jiammered iiito relief. 



AND ROW TO USE THEM. 



149 



In Fig. 37, is a border which can be adapted to 
several uses. 




Fi>. S7 



TO TIIANSFEK PATTEIlri(S. 



There are several ways iu which designs may be 
transferred to the material ou which they are to be 
worked. The first and easiest method (short of drawing 
it free hand) is by means of tracing and transfer paper, 
both of which can be obtained from an artist's materials 
store. Tracing paper can be made as follows: 

Lay the sheets to be pre])ared Hat on each otLer, and 
spread varnish made by dissolving Damara resin in 
spirits of wine over the nppermost sheet by means of a 
brush, until the paper api)ears perfectly colorless with- 
out, however, the liquid therein being discernible. The 
first sheet should then be hung up to dry, and the re- 
mainder treated the same way. Rather tougli, smooth 
paper should be used for tliis purpose. A good supply of 
this is very useful for any one Avho does much decoration 
work whether with needle or brush, as hints and ideas 
can be hastily traced and thus preserved for fnture use 
by those who have not the time to copy a design, nor the 
skill to sketch it quickly. 

Having traced tlie design, place it on the object to 

which it is to be tra,ns.f erred, fastening it securely in 

place with pins or thnmb tacks. Now take a piece. 

of transfer paper, it need not be large, and place it 

1.50 



4^/) HOW TO USE THEM. l5l 

Color side down, between the tracing- i)aper and the 
material to be stamped. Go over the lines of tlie design 
with a sharp pointed bard lead pencil, a dnll stiletto, or 
some similar utensil. Slip your transfer jiaper along so 
as to g-o over every line of the design. Before removing 
the thumb tacks entirel}-, lift the tracing- paper and ex- 
amine whether the desigji has been thoroughly trans- 
ferred. 

In usiiig- transfer paper be careful about using a 
7iew piece on haiiilsome goods as the color comes off in 
undesirable pljices. 

Wiien possible, it is far better, however, to draw your 
patteri! directly on the material, sketching it at first 
lightly and when all is correct, going over the lines with 
either India inic, or with a common pen and ink. 

For very handsome material, it is safer and more con- 
venient to have the stamping done by those who make a 
business of it. As there are some, however, Avho cannot 
conveniently have this done, I will give another method 
called pouncing. Having drawn or transferred the 
pattern on to stiff drawing paper, prick the outlines 
carefully with a shar[) knitting needle, or stiletto or stitch 
it on the mach itie, using a rather coarse needle. Then hav- 
ing very carefully and firmly fastened it in position, brush 
flour, or starch (if the ground be dark), or powdered 
bluing, or artists' charcoal over the lines. It can be put 
on with a soft brush or flannel pad. Eemove the pattern 
carefully, and go over the liises with a fine paint brush, 
or stiff pen with India ink or some suitable water color. 
If the latter is used a little gum in the water used for 
mixings the color will ensure you against the rubbing out 
of the lines. Brush off the superfluous powder and your 
pattern is secure. 

Designs can be easily enlarged in this way. 

Cut a piece of paper the size of the space to be 
decorated, preserving the proportion between length and 



J 52 i^E^DL^s Am Biiilsa&s 

breadth. Mark tbis oft' with peipeiidicular aud hori- 
zontal lilies. Divide the pattern by an equal number 
of lines, and yon will find it easy to copy the whole on 
the larger piece of paper. If done carefully, the propor- 
tion of each i)art will be maintained. 



NETTING. 



Like many other kinds of fancy work, netting is just 
now coming" into fashion. Our grandmothers netted, as 
our mothers tatted, industriously, netting boxes and 
stirrups being as familiar a sight then as the tatting 
shuttle was some fifteen years ago, and as the crewel and 
silk cases are now. It is a work that can be applied to 
a great variety of purposes, from curtains down to fichus 
or breakfast caps. Guipure d'art which is worked on 
netted squares has always been in favor, but its seeming 
dilliculty has deterred many from attempting to make it. 
The following directions for plain and fancy netting and 
for making Guipure stitches are made as plain as possi- 
ble, and will be found easy to follow when the manner 
of forming the netting stitch has been once mastered. 
This can be learned from the directions, but is much 
more easily learned in a lesson from one who understands 
netting. 

You will need for this work, a netting needle, a mesh, 
and twine, cotton, or linen thread. Formerly, the net- 
ting was fastened to a braid or ribbon loop, called a 
stirrup from its being held on the foot, but a more con- 
153 



154 



NEEDLES AND B BUSHES 



venient and mncli prettier way is to have a lead cusbiou 
or sewing" bird for securing the loop. Some, however, 
X)iu it to tlie knee, as in scAving. For beginning I would 
advise some twine or coarse knitting cotton, as is it very 
much easier to learn anything in coarse materials, where 
the details can be easily seen. 

A wooden netting needle is generally used for coarse, 
and steel ones for finer work. 




Fig. 38. 



When a very small mesh is used, a long blunt darning 
needle must be employed as the filled netting needle 
would not pass through the loops. The meshes are made 
of boxwood, bone, and ivory; they can be either round 
or flat. Knitting needles of various sizes in these mater- 
ials make good meshes, steel ones being employed for 
fine work. Pieces of whalebone cut to the requisite 
width make good meshes. The size of mesh and cotton 
must be adapted to each other so as to give the work 
jn.st tlie right appearance, neither too open nor too close. 



AND now TO USE THEM. 155 

To begiu work, take a i^iece of thread of tlie same size 
you are goiug to use in netting, tie it in a loop of three or 
four iuclies long and fasten it with a pin to your cushion, 
or knee. Then unwinding two or three lengths from your 
needle, tie the end securely to this loop. Take the 
needle in the right hand and the mesh in the left; hold 
the latter horizontally between the thumb and forefinger. 
Lay the working thread over the mesh downwards round 
the middle finger of the left band (Fig. 38), and then 
between the mesh and the forefinger, a little towards the 
left, where the left tiiumb encloses the thread, and by 
that means the loop held round the mesh and finger is 
firmly held; then the needle is carried again towards the 
right, and pushed from underneath through the thread- 
loop lying round the left hand, forming a wide scallop with 
the thread; then the needle is placed under the loop, and 
between, the finger and mesh again through the foun- 
dation stitch ; keeping the left hand quite still, draw the 
needle quite through with the right hand, dropping the 
loop oft' the fingers one by one, the little one being the 
last to release the looj), drawing the knot to the top of 
the mesh with the right hand. Make as many foundation 




Fig. 39. 

stitches as your work requires, take the mesh carefully 
out, turn the work and i^roceed as before, putting the 
needle, at each stitch successively into a stitcli of the 



166 



Keedles and brushes 



preceding row. Practice will soon enable you to ma»fe 
your stitcbes of a uniform size. Tbe stitcb bere described 
is tbe one ordinarily used and is called Janling 
netting. To work round netting, put tbe needle tbrougb 
tbe loop witbout cbanging tbe place of tbe finger or loop, 
turn tbe needle round and put it into tbe stitcb of tbe 
preceding line from above downwards, as sbown by tbe 
arrow in Fig. 39. 

Tbe working tbread must remain on tbe right band of 
tbe needle, and tbe stitch is then drawn up in the usual 
manner. 




Fig. 40. 



For loop netting, work two rows of ordinary netting. 
In the third row work two stitches into one, twist tbe 
thread twice round the mesh. Repeat for the required 
lengtb. 

4tb row: Work two loops into the long stitches of the 
last row, twist the thread twice round. Eepeat to tbe 
end of the row, and continue working only the fourth 
row. 

Figure 41 is for working diamonds in round netting. 
Tbe number of stitcbes for each diamond is five and one 
over at the end. 



AND HOW TO Use tmem. 157 

1st row: Work your stitches as described for round 
iietting. Work one loug stitch by twisting the thread 
twice round the mesh. Eepeat for the length required. 




Fig. 41. 

2nd row: Two long stitches, three round stitches, 
one long stitch into centre of first long stitch, one long 
stitch into next round stitch. Kepeat from * 

3rd row: One loug stitch* two round stitches, one long 
stitch into next long stitch, one round stitch into next 
long stitch, one long stitch into next round stitch. 
Repeat from * 

4th row: Two round stitches, one long stitch, one 
round stitch, one loug stitch. Eepeat from beginning 
of row. 

5th row: One round stitch,* two long stitches, three 
round stitches. Eepeat from * 

6th row: Three round, * one long, four round. Eepeat 
from * 

7th row: One round, * two long tliree round. Eepeat 
from * " 

9th row: One long, two round, one long, one round. 
Eepeat from the beginning of the row. 

10th row : Two long, three round. Eepeat. 

This completes the diamond. Eepeat the ten rowp 
until your netting is large enough. 



158 l^EEDLBS AND BRUSHES 

Au extremely pretty edgiug (Fig. 42) is worked as 
follows: 

Work two rows of plain netting. 

3rd aow : Work three stitches into one of the previous 
row, one stitch, one stitch into each of the successive 
stitches. Eepeat throughout the row. 

4th row: Plain, working through the clusters of three 
stitches together as one stitch. 

5th row: Plain. 

6th row: Like third row, working the clusters of 
stitches between those of third row. 

7th row : Like 4th. 




Fig. 42. 

8th row: Work into two stitches together below the 
clusters of sixth row, work one into all the other 
stitches. 

9th row: Work over a mesh rather more than half an 
inch in width four stitches into one stitch of last row, 
pass over three stitches and repeat. 

10th row: With the mesh first used, work one stitch 
into each of the four worked into one stitch, take the 
next loop, pass it through the centre of the three stitches 



a:nd how to use teem. 159 

passed over iu the previous row, ^YOl■k one stitch iuto it. 
Repeat from the beginuiug of tbe row. 

The raauuer of passiug- the long loop through the 
ceutre of the three stitches is clearly showij by the tbin 
line iu the pattern. 

This pattern is very pretty for edging a scarf for the 
neck. It should be worked in rather fine linen thread. 

CROSS NETTING. 

1st row: Phiin netting. 

2nd row; Net alternately one long and one common 
stitch. 

3rd row: Work entirely in sliort stitches which 
naturally draw unevenly. 

4th row: Consists alternately of long and short 
stitches, but instead of working them iu the usual way 
draw a stitch of the last row through tlie long loops of 
the second row and net it; continue to work a long and 
short stitch alternately in this way through the row. 
Repeat the third and fourth rows alterr.ately. 

STAR NETTING. 

Cross and star netting very much resemble each other; 
after working the cross, little difficulty will be found in 
working the star netting. 

1st row: One double and one i)lain stitch alternately, 
using a knitting needle mesh. 

2nd row: Net plain with a mesh one third of an inch 
wide. 

3rd row: Draw one stitch of second row through long 
loop of fij^st row, net it again with a short stitch, draw 
the next loop through the same long loop of first and 
net it with a long stitch (i.e. cotton twice round the 
mesh). Repeat the second and third rows for length 
required. 



160 



tTEEULES AND BRUSHES 



ROSE NETTING. 

This pretty stitch seems a little complicated at first, 
but b.v following the directions exactly it can be easily 
worked. Two meshes are needed for this pattern, bear- 
ing to each other the same proi3ortion tliat a coarse knit- 
ting needle would to a mesh one third of an inch 
wide. 

1st row: Net plain over the wide mesh. 

2nd row: Ket over the small mesh thus: First draw 
the first long loop through the second and net it, then 
draw the second through the first and net it. 




Fig. 43. 

(Fig. 43.) shows rose netting with ribbon velvet nm 
in at each fifth pattern and the intermediate rows are 
darned with colored silk. 

HONEYCOMB NETTING 

An even number of stitches is needed for tliis pat 
tern. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 161 

1st row: Plain uettiDg. 

2nd. row: ISTet the second stitch, then the first, next 
the fourth, then the third and so on throughout the row. 

3rd row: Plain. 

4th row : Net a plain stitch ; begin the pattern by net- 
ting first third stitch, then the second, next the fifth, 
then the fourth, end with a plain stitch and continue to 
the end of the row. Repeat from the first row. 




Fig. U, 

Fig. 44 is a very pretty border combining the last two 
patterns with plain netting. The rows of honeycomb 
are alternately of fine and coarse material, or of silk and 
wool, in order to bring out the pattern. The scallop 
pattern is worked with heavy silk doubled or trebled. 

1st row: Plain netting with small mesh. 

2nd row: Work four ])lain stitches, work four loops into 
the fifth stitch. Repeat to tlie end of the row. 

3rd row: Work tliree plain, work the clusters of two 
loops together. Repeat from beginning of the row. 

4th and 5th rows; Plain. 

6th row; Like second row, beginning" with two plain 
stitches to alternate the position of the clusters. 



162 NEEDLES AND BRU8RE8 

7tli row: Like tliird row, working the clusters iu their 
proper places. 

8th aud 9th rows: Plain. 

Five rows of honeycomb pattern are now to be worked. 

Work three rows plain netting. Two patterns of rose 
netting; and for the edge one row a larger mesh and the 
two strands of the working material. 

In making joins in the thread, as when refilling the 
needle, or if in silk netting the colors are varied, always 
manage to have the knot come at the outer edge. Tie a 
firm flat knot. 

Netting is darned by passing the needle under and 
over the stitches of the foundation about five times, 
taking care to follow the lines of the pattern. The silk, 
cotton or thread, used in darning must be of a size pro- 
portioned to that used in the netting. 

Eound netting as for purses, etc., is worked by pass- 
ing the needle through the first stitch, while keeping the 
last three or four on the mesh, moving the mesh as the 
work requires. 

VANDYKE NETTING. 

Make one loop on foundation; net two loops in this. 
Increase one looi) in every row until there are five loops 
in a row. Then increase at the end of every alternate row 
until there are nine loops in the row, taking particular 
care to always increase on same side of the work. 

In the next row leave four loops unworked on the side 
which has not been increased, work the other five loops 
and repeat. 

FLY NETTING. 

AVind on the needle a strand of wool and one of silk, 
so that they will unwind together. Net as with a single 
thread, and when the netting is done, cut the woolen 
thread round every knot, fluff it up so as to conceal the 
knot and make a little ball. Be very careful not to 



AlfD HOW TO USE TIIEM. 103 

tut the other thread. This is very useful for neckties, 
head dresses, etc. 

NETTED HAIR-NET. 

This net maj" be made either of chenille, silk, or fine 
braid, with a mesh half an inch in widtli. 

Net eight loops on a foundation, then net sixteen 
rows; these will count perpendicularly eight diamonds; 
cut the netting from the foundation, but do not cut oft* 
the material you are netting with; pick out the knots; 
tie a loop of cotton into the centre of the square, by 
which to pin it to the table; now net round this square 
eight rows or four diamonds, counted perpendicularly; 
the net is then complete, but more rows may be worked 
if preferred. An elastic is run through the last row of 
holes. The net is ornamented at the top by a double 
bow and ends of ruby satin ribbon. 

DIAMOND PATTERN. 

Pig. 45 is a very useful pattern for stripes for tidies, 
shawls, etc , and may also be used in place of drawn 
work in bureau and side-board scarves. 

1st row : Plain. 




fflg-46. 



2nd row: Work two loops into a stitch, draw the next 
ioop rather longer, and repeat to end of row. 



164 i^eedleB and brusheb 

3rd row: One stitcli iuto each loop of last row. 

4th row: Work a stitch through two loops together or 
under the two loops worked into a stitch in the second 
row. Eepeat to the end of the row. The double loops 
are worked across with needle and thread as shown in 
the upper part of the cut. 

EOSE AND SHEAF PATTEEN. 




Fig. 40. 

With a fine bone knitting needle for a mesh, work 
three rows in x^lain netting. 

4th and 5th rows: Rose netting. 

6th and 7tli rows: Plain. 

8th row: Fill a netting needle with a three-fold strand 
of thread, that is winding from three spools at once, and 
with a mesh a little more than an inch wide, work one 
stitch into each loop. 

9th to 11th rows: With the small mesh and single cot- 
ton work one stitch into each loop. 



ANb HOW TO IISS THEM, 1<>5 

l2th row: With double cotton, work one stitch in 
i-oiiiid netting- iuto a loop, cotton twice over the mesh, 
pass over a stitch and repeat. 

The sheafs are can gfht together by crochet. Work one 
double over three triple loops, seven chain and repeat. 

A double length of cotton is darned in a straight line 
above and below tk© two rows of rose pattern. 



GUIPURE D'ART. 



While netting has rather fallen out of favor of late 
years, the beautiliil Guipure d'Art which consists of 
netted squares worked with various ornamental stitches 
is as much admired as ever. Although looks extremely 
diflficult, it is really very easy of execution, and fully 
repays one for the trouble of working-. The popular 
word " effective " so much in vogue now is ver^'^ 
applicable to Guipure netting, drawn work, andMacrame 
lace, all of which are really very easy of execution, 
in spite of the elegant and complicated appearance of 
the work. 

For this work a frame is necessary on which to stretch 
the netted foundation. This should be made of strong 
wire soldered together, and cau be made by a tinsmith. 
It should be large enough to stretch the netting tightly. 
For insertion or edging, an oblong frame is used. The 
netting is generally done with lineu thread, which must 
be of a size regulated by the foundation. A common 
darning or tapestry needle may be used for the lace 
stitches. Great accuracy is esseutial in this work, as a 
wrrongly placed stitch would spoil the whole effect. It 
wrould be a good plan to ])ractice the different stitches 
given ou a square which cau he kept for a samplei* y' 
1S6 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 167 

The square is netted as follows. Begin with two 
stitches, and net backwards and forwards, always 
increasing every row by making two stitches in the last 
stitch of the row, nntil you have one more stitch than 
the number of holes on one side of the finished square. 
Thus, if one side of the square has five holes, you must 
net six stitches on the mesh; then net one row plain, and 
then decrease at the end of every row, by netting the 
two last stitches together in one knot, until you have 
only two stitches left. Join these together with one 
knot in the middle, not making a stitch, but carrying 
the thread tight across to the joining knots. 

Sometimes the pattern calls for a foundation in holes 
of two sizes. This is formed by i^utting the thread round 
the mesh twice for the large hole and once for the small. 

In working the different stitches giveu, the thread 
must be carried alternately over and under the netted 
threads; the work must be uninterrupted, and the thread 
fastened with a firm knot; and when it is impossible to 
pass immediately from a filled up part to the next hole 
of the netted ground, the tbread must be wound round 
the threads between that and the next hole to be worked 
as carefully as possible, so as to be almost impercejitible. 

The square to be worked must be tightly stretched in 
frame. This should be covered with ribbon or muslin to 
which the netting is laced, the lacing thread passing 
through the double edge formed by the increasing and 
decreasing stitches. It is well to fasten the corners 
first, as that makes it easier to draw the threads perfect^ 
ly strsttght and true, 



168 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 
POINT DE REPRISE. 




Fig. 47. 

This stitch is employed in almost every pattern; it is 
a simple daruing stitch. The illustration shows the 
!nanuer of working it. The holes are entirely filled up, 
tlireads passing alternately over and under the working 
thread. 

POINT DE TOILE, OR TRELLIS WORK. 




Fig. 48. 

In working this stitch great care must he taken to 
make the threads cross each other evenly. The number 
of threads in a hole must be regulated by the size of 
the hole; but there must be the same number of long 
and cross threads and the numbers must be even — 
two, four, six, etc. ; an odd number of threads would 
spoil the work. The cut isliows how it can be worked 
both continuously, and when holes are missed. 



Airit sow TO UgE THEM. 169 

POINT D'ESPEIT, FESTOON STITOH. 

This stitch ueetls no explanation, the illustrations 




showing the mode of working it. It admits of many 
variations which can easily be copied from the design. 
Sometimes the whole ground work is filled in with 
this stitch. 




Fig. 50. 

Fig. 50, gives a combination of point d'esprit and 
point de toile: 

POINT CKOISI, CROSS STITCH. 




Fig. 51. 

Fig. 51 shows the mode of working a crossed thread 
with a tied knot, which fastens all the threads at th^ 



170 



lUEEhLEB AND BttUaUss 



crossing point. It is a biittou-hole stitch, only the 
stitch is put in over instead of next to the starting 
thread. For the double thread cross (Fig. 52) stretch the 
first loose thread for two bars of the cross lying near 




Fig. 52 

each other, then return as far as the middle only. 
Twist the thread round the latter, from here going 
always forwards and backwards to form the third and 
fourth bars; then unite all the four bars by one 
stitch, and then twist the thread a few times round 
the first bar with a single thread and finish. After 
uniting the cross-bar^, it will be easy to make a little 
round pattern in the middle by drawing the thread 
round the cross. 

Fig. 53 shows how to work a half cross stitch in 
rows. 




Fig. 53. 



SPINNING STITCH AND WHEELS. 

These patterns are generally worked over four holes 
of the netted square at the crossing point of the cross- 
bars stretched across, and either unite the eight radii 



AND now TO USB TEEM. 



171 



or meet over these in the centre of a netted hole 
with the thread wound round. This winding round is 
so contrived that the wound Lars lie underneath the 
threads of the foundation, and the stitch is on this 
a'^count called a web. 
Fig. 54 gives the manner of making •<%, web, which 




Fig. 64. 

is shown finished and surrounded by picots in Fig. 




Figr. 66. 



55. The manner of making these picots is shown in 
Fig. 56. 




Fi^. W, 



172 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 
PTEAMID STITCH. 



Fig. 57 gives the manner of working this stitch 
with two divisions ; Tie the thread on with a knot, 
carry it as far as the middle of the outer netting 
tliread of the pattern, fasten it for a triangle again 




to the middle hole returning. Winding the last thread 
backward, the point of the triangle is reached, and the 
bars must now be closely worked in x)oiut de repris6. 
The stretched thread can be carried along the net- 
ted thread forming the base of the triangle as far as 
the middle, and is then carried up to the point. This 
makes the finished work show three divisions. 

MUSHROOM STITCH. 




Yig. 58, 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



173 



The illustration will enable anyone to copy tliis 
stitch, without further description. 

Fig, 59 gives a square containing double point d'es- 

l ^^ f .J 




Fig. 59. 

prit between the different arrangements of mushroom 
stitch, 

TUFTED BUTTONHOLE STITCH. 




Fig. 60. 



This stitch will be easily worked from the design. 
It is a pretty stitch for the border of a square as 
in Fig. 61. 




Fig. 61. 



iT4 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



LETTER 



STITCH. 




Fig. 62. 

This is a combination of mushroom stitch and is 
used in the square illustrated in Fig. 63. 




Fig. 63. 



In this square, the thick part can be easily copied 
by any one who has studied the preceding stitches. 
The two squares illustrated can be used alternately 
to make an insertion, heading for guipure lace, or four 
joined together will make a pincushion cover. In 
this case it may be edged with a netted border, 
for which patterns have been already given. 

Fig. 64 is an easy pattern for an insertion, or 
It can be used for a border by buttonholing the 



AND HOW TO USE THEM 175 

edge. Very handsome counterpanes pillow and shama 




Fig. 64. 

are made of squares of guipure, lined with silk or 
satin. 

DOUBLE CROSS. 




Fig. 6.'). 

This is very effective for the middle of a square 
or even for a corner. The loose threads must l>e 
first stretched across from one side over the hole 
of the netting, and a bar wound round in the 
opposite direction, weaving it with the first bar aa 
shown in the design. 



its 



Needles and beV3EE8 



GUIPURE IN RELIEF. 

Very effective patterns may be upon a ground of 
point (le toile, or even upon plain netting. They 
consist of loose threads stretched over the founda- 
tion, and worked in like the point reprise — for small 
patterns, over two threads, with one division, — for 
broad patterns, leaves, etc., with two or three divi- 
sions over three or more threads. Leaves should be 
graduated. Stalks on leaves, or sometimes raised 
veins, are formed according to the thickness required 
of threads stretched across, wound once or several 
times round, and closely corded in returning. The 
large patterns require a thread of the foundation to 
be worked in here and there lightly, to keep the 
guipure better in place. 

Fig. 66 shows the way of working these relief 
stems. 




Fig. 66. 
BUTTON-HOLE STITCH. 

This forms a pretty scallop border, and is particularly 
useful for edgings. Stretch the thread firmly round the 
netted thread and tie it always with a cross-stitch. 
Eeturning it must be closely twisted again, and then 
fastened with button-hole stitch. Picots may be worked 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



177 



in this edge by simply making another separate button- 
hole stitch, which lies free nnderneath, and is fastened 
to the next in continuing the row. This edge must be 




Fig. 67. 



worked very carefully, so that when the threads of the 
netting are cut iiway the stitches will remain in their 
place. 

STAR ON RADII. 




Fig. 68. 



This can be worked from the illustration. Stretch 
bars as for a wheel, the ends of which must again liave 
cross-bars for rounding the star. The wheel is worked 
on the cross-bars and then the radii arranged round, 
crossing them at the back of the wheel where they are 
fastened with one or two button-hole stitches. 

OBLONG NETTING. 

For edgings, the foundation must be netted, so as to 
form an oblong strip. To do this, begin with two stitches 



iH ifEEDLSS AND BBVSHE^ 

as in the square, and increase on every row, until therd 
are two more stitches than are required in the width. 
I'hen go on increasing on one side^ but decrease on the 
other, so as tO kfeep the number of stitches always the 
same. When you have the required length decrease to 
two stitches, as for the square. The increasing must 
always be on the same side of the netting, and it is well 
to tie a bit of colored silk on one side so as to mark 
where the increase is to be made. 

The different stitches given above will enable one to 
copy any pattern without further directions, as they are 
merely various combinations of these. 

The work is elegant and durable, not trying to the 
eyes, and possesses the advantage of demanding so few 
materials, that it is easily carried about, and makes but 
light demands on the purse. 



DRAWN THREAD WORK. 



This work, like netting, dates very far back, and many 
old and beautiful specimens are to be found in different 
public museums. Extremely fine work, resembling 
Honiton sprays on a net foundation, has been done in 
this style, but the work is too intricate and involves too 
much strain on the eyes, to find favor now-a-days. Very 
beautiful effects can, however, be produced, without 
unduly straining eyes or patience. It is always best to 
begin on coarse material, as the stitches are much more 
easily mastered, than with fine linen. Crash, Java can- 
vass, and various grades of linen are used for this work. 
It is ornamental enough alone, but it is often associated 
with outline, Holbein, or Russian embroidery. Colored 
or golden silk and crewels are also used instead of thread 
and often with very good effect. Some very fine work 
of this description is done in Mexico, and it is sometimes 
called Mexican work. Another name for it is " Punta 
Tirata. " 

Hem-stitching is the simplest form of this branch of 
fancy work. In olden times most children were taught 
to hem-stitch as part of the systematic training in 
needle-work then considered necessary, but for the 
benefit of those who have not learned, I give the 
follo\7ing directions, repeating the advice to begin 

179 



180 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

ou rather coarse material. A bureau cover or a stand 
cloth of butcher's linen, cotton momie cloth, or crash, 
is a good thing to begin on. Measure off a good depth 
for your fringe. If you wish to knot it, allow two or 
three times the length of the finished fringe. 

Half an inch from the fringe, draw the cross or 
weft threads out for a distance of about three-quarters 
of an inch. Leave a bar at either end which should 
be neatly buttonholed with linen thread. 

Thread an ordinary sewing needle with No. 70 cot- 
ton; beginning at the right baud, pass your needle 
under four or five warp or lengthwise threads, draw 
it up at the left hand, and passing back to the right 
hand take a fine hemming stitch, and go on as before. 
This is for the upper line. The lower one is done in 
the same way, only reversing the hemming stitch. 
Having hem-stitched both sides, take a needleful of 
rather coarse linen thread, about twice as long as the 
width of your work. Fasten it securely to the centre 
one of the end bars; fasten three of the clusters of 
threads together with a loop-stitch, which is formed 
by passing your thread over the clusters, and (mak- 
ing it describe a large scallop below your work) put 
your needle at the right hand in above the working 
thread, passing under the clusters, and bringing it 
out heloio the working thread, and inside the scal- 
lop formed by the loosely hanging thread. Draw 
this up so as to form a firm knot, and go on to the 
next cluster. When finished, the connecting thread 
should appear as a perfectly straight line, neither 
tight enough to i)ucker the work, nor so loose as 
to look untidj'. Where a greater number of threads 
have been drawn, having fastened the working 
thread as before, pass over eight clusters, and put- 
ting your needle in, bring it out again between the 
fourtli and fifth clusters, putting it in again on th§ 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



181 



right band of the first cluster and draw it out again 
at the left of the first four clusters. Draw it through 
and repeat. This stitch is extremely simple and is 
generally known, having been in common use for Java 
canvass work, as well as for linen. Where articles 
are to be subjected to much washing, it is not as 
desirable as the various arrangements of thread 
clusters by means of the knot first described. 

Other arrangements of drawn threads are shown 
in Figs. 69-72. 




rig. 69. 



The manner in which these designs are worked 
is so easjl^' seen in the cuts that a written descrip- 
tion" would be superfluous. 

The worker can employ her own ingenuity in 
devising new combinations, while the use of colored 
wools, and the addition of rows of Holbein stitch, 
l^nd interest and varietur to the work. 



182 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 




Fig. 70. 




Fiar. 71. 



AND SOW TO Use them. 



m 




Fig, 72. 
DRAWN THREADS AND SPUN PTITCHES. 



For this pattern a frame is necessary. One used 




Fig. 73. 



for guipure netting will do, in which the work must 



i84 



iiEEDLEB AND BRUS3E3 



be strained, after the threads are drawn and the hem- 
stitching done. Care should be taken to have the 
material stretched tightly, so that the clusters of 
threads will be perfectly straight. The work can be 
basted on a x)iece of stiff i)aste-board instead of being- 
stretched in a frame. In this case, the work should 
be firmly fastened to the card-board, care being taken 
to stretch it tightly. 

Draw all the threads of the material out of one 
way to the depth of three inches and a half; divide 
the strands into sizes by working over the edges 
of each with a slanting loop, for the entire length, 
then crossing this line of stitches with a second 




Fig. 74. 



one (see top of design); next work the straight bars, 
seven-eighths of an inch from the edge, top and 



a:m) how to use them. 



185 



bottom, aud oue liue straight across tlie centre for 
the entire length of your worlc; these are the foun- 
dation threads to work jour pattern to. The knots 
and loops forming the oval are the next part to 
work, and the spun stitches are made by interla- 
cing these loops. The arrow indicates the mode of 
forming these stitches. 

These patterns, while effective and very handsome, 
sire very easily worked. The most tiresome i)art is 
the drawing of the threads, and the hem stitching. It 
is rather improved by washing than otherwise. 

Fig. 74 is a combination of drawn work, aud the 




liiiiiiijiM^ipipiilil 



Fig. 75, 



stitches used in guipure d'art. 

Fig. 75 shows the manner of forming the square 
holes in which the stitches are to be worked, just 
as in guipure d'art. It would be well to try this 



186 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

pattern on a spare piece of linen, so as to be sure 
of drawing a sufficient number of threads. If too 
many are drawn, the extra holes can be worked with 
some of the many fancy stitches given under the 
head of Guipure Netting. 

I have already, under the head of " Outline Stitch," 
given hints as to many articles in which drawn work 
may be effectively used, but a few more suggestions 
may be useful. A very ijretty apron can be made 
of a huck-a-back towel which has fringe and one or 
two bordering strii^es. Draw the threads for about 
half an inch through the centre of each stripe, and 
work them with some simple arrangement of the threads. 
Knot the fringe. The upi^er end of the towel devided 
into three parts gives a pocket, and the ends of the 
strings, all to be worked to correspond with the apron. 

Many handsome table-cloths are further ornamented 
by bands of drawn work, and when in use are placed 
over a cloth of red cotton flannel. A scarf for the side- 
board is very handsome bordered with bands of d'^ej) 
drawn work and handsomely knotted fringe. An appro- 
priate motto worked in old English text adds much to 
the beauty of such a cloth. " Good Diet with Wisdom 
best Comforteth Man " is good for this purpose, or Mac- 
beth's advice "Now good digestion wait on appetite, and 
health on both." 

The homely saying " Prayers and Provender hinder 
no Man," is another good motto, which might appropri- 
ately be worked in rustic letters. 

Fig. 76 is a case for working materials the outside of 
which is worked from Fig. 69. It is to be lined with a 
bright color and furnished with pockets, leaves for 
needles, and strap for scissors. The outside may be of 
linen or pongee, which is a very satisfactory material 
for this work. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



187 



A patteru that cau be used for the same purpose is 
worked as follows : 

Draw warp and woof threads out so as to form a suc- 
cession of open squares, leaving sixteen to twenty 
threads between each. Buttonhole round the outer 
edge, or if a hem is used as a border, hem-stitch it 
neatly round. Fasten the thread firmly to the edge, 
and loop twice into each side of the tirst square, and 




FifiT. 76. 



when you come to where the threads are left, divide 
them in half and loop through one half of them. Cross 
the thread over the undrawn parts, and continue till all 
the squares are worked round and the left threads are 
secured. Work three buttonhole stitches into each 
looped stitch. Join the last buttonhole stitch to the 
first, thus forming a wheel, and carry your thread on 
(concealing it as much as possible) to the next square, 
which work in like manner. EuflSes or flounces worked 
with two or three rows of this pattern form a beautiful 
trimming for white dresses, and it also makes a hand- 
some border for linen cambric handkerchiefs, d'oylies, 
etc. Fig. 72 is a simpler form of this pattern. 



i^^ l^EEDLBS AND JBRUSBES 

Figs. 78 to 81, give patterns for a different style of 



^^^^^^^^^^ i 


f^-^^§''m!RSk%iP^ i 


^^^y^^^^M 


^^^^^^^w 


^^^jJl^^^^l: 


^^^■^^K^l 


^^J^^^l 


fffga== i'Mrl-l ■ • '^tH)^ 


a== ■'^^ 


ill 1 


t" 




r 

1 


~~m 


^4^^^^"^^^^^ 



Fig 77. 

work. Worked on some of the softer lineu materials, 




Fig. 78. 

such as raomie or oatmeal cloth, it is not at all difficult 




Pig. 79. 



of execution, though, of course, it takes much moro 



Al^D now TO USE TEEM. 



181) 



time. Grasscloth d'03'lies bordered with this work, 
executed in gold thread and one or two colored silks 
are very beautiful. 




Fig. 80. 



(— r 













ri- 81. 
For Fig, 82 the threads have been drawn so as to form 
regular squares which are worked alternately with point 
de reprise and point d'esprit. It is meant for a cloth 
for the centre of the table to be laid over a handsome 
colored table cloth. 



190 NEEDLES AND BRttSH^S 

Very handsome side-board or bureau scarves may be 




rig. 82. 

woriied in oatmeal or momie clotb, with three or four 
shades of brown carpet thread, using open designs, such 
as Fig. 70 or 73. The plain strips between the rows of 
drawn work should have decorative stitches or some 
conventional design in outline worked with the different 
shades of the linen tlireads. Fringe tied in Macrame 
knots forms an approi)riate finish for such scarves. 



MACRAME. 



This work used to be quite extensively used, at oue 
time, in England, under the name of knot work, which 
designation is most appropriate, as it exactly describes 
the manner of making this kind of lace. In Italy it was 
used for trimming priests' vestments in the fifteenth 
century, and the name for it there, punto a groppo, or 
groppino, was also taken from the method of working it. 
Macrame is from an Arabian word which signifies a large 
cloth with a fringed border. 

Most Macrame lace or fringe, now-a-days, is worked 
with a species of twine or cord, although it can be made 
of coarse thread or silk. The different knots are used 
also in knotting the borders for towels, or as finishing 
edges to drawn work. 

Macrame is very rich and efiective, and possesses the 
rare advantage of exerting no strain on the eyes. It is 
easy and quick of execution, and also affords the worker 
the pleasure of forming new combinations in different 
parts of the work. It is well to begin working with 
quite coarse material. The real Macrame cord, manu- 
factured by Messrs. Barbour and Co. is made of flax and 
is rather softer to work with than other cord, not being 
hard twisted. The natural color of this cord is also very 
pleasant. Seine twine is much used also, and some pre- 

191 



192 



NEEDLES AND BTtUSIIES 



fer its 6crn color. It is also much cheni»er. It is^ bought 
by the slieiu, varying in weight according to the size. 

Before beginning work, a cushion or desk must be 
Ijiovided. Very convenient patent desks can be bought 
for two or three dollars. A home-made cushion or desk, 
however, will do equally well. If a cusliion is used, it 
should bo very firmly stuffed, as it is impossible to do 
work nicely on anything but a hard cushion. It should 
be about fifteen inches long, four inches high, and five 
inches wide. Some put a piece of lead or some sand at 
the bottom of the cushion, but I have never found any 
difficulty in working with a cushion made in the ordinary 
way. The cushion can either be covered with some 
bright color as turkey red, or with ticking, the stripes 
of which should run lengthwise of the cushion. A 
second piece of stuff can be sewed to the bottom of the 
cushion on three sides, thus forming a pocket in which 
the extra strands of cord can be kept. 




Fi.tr. S3. 

Some i)refer working on a desk or board. Such a 
board should be of the same size as the top of the 
cushion just described. Cover it with several layers of 
wadding and over this stretch tightly a cover of stout 
muslin. A ticking or colored outside cover may then be 
])ut on. 

liesides the cushion you will need a number of large 
pins. They should be about two inches long. 

Fig. 85 shows the stitches or knots with which the 
different patterns are formed. At the extreme left the 
manner of putting on the working threads is shown 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 193 

The cords or leaders on which the knots are worked 
must be doubled and have a knot tied at the doubled 
eud. A piu thrust tinough the loop thus formed fastens 
it to the pillow. Each leader must be, after it is doubled, 
a little louger than the finished work is to be, and each 
working' thread after doubliug, must be, as a rule, about 
three times as long as the depth of the tiuished work. 

After the working threads are set up thej' are knotted 
to a second leader, as seen in the same illustration. To 
work it, pass the thread (one length at a time) uuder the 
leader, wind it once over the leader, bringing the thread 
out at the bottom at the left. Now pass it round the 
leader to the right, and bring the thread out through the 
loop, thus forming a knot that will not slip. This knot 
is used in forming the leaves and rosettes to be found in 
most j)atterns. It is also worked perpendicularly. 

SINGLE CHAIN. 

Take two threads, hold one straight in the left hand, 
knot the other thread on to it once with the right; hold 
this thread straight in the right hand and knot the other 
on to it with the left. Eepeat. The second figure in 
jSTo. 83 shows this knot. 

DOUBLE CHAIN. 

This is made like single chain, but with four threads, 
using two each time instead of one. 

OPEN CHAIN. 

Take four threads, commence with the two at the left 
side, hold the first of these in the right hand as the 
leader, knot the second twice on to it with the left hand, 
pass the same leader to the left hand, knot the same 
thread as before twice on to it; take the next two 
threads, hold the first thread in the right hand as leader, 
knot the second twice on to it, pass the leader to the left 



194 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

baud, knot the same thread as before twice on to it, hold 
the leader still in the left hand and knot the first leader 
twice on to it with the right hand, knot the remaining- 
thread at the left side twice on to it, leaving a loop be- 
fore drawing it np tight. * Pass the same leader back 
to the right hand, and knot the same thread twice on to 
it with the left hand. Then take up the two threads at 
the right side, liold the under one in the right hand, as 
leader, knot the other thread twice on to it leaving a 
loop as before. Pass the same leader to the left hand, 
and knot the same thread twice on to it. Hold the 
leader still in the left hand, and knot the leader at the 
left side twice on to it. Knot the remaining thread at 
the left side on it, leaving a loop as before. Then i)ass 
the leader back to the right hand and knot the same 
thread twice on to it. Kepeat from. * A modification 
of this chain is seen in the fourth figure of the cut. 

TO MAKE LEAVES OB ROSETTES. 

The right hand figure shows the manner of working 
very plainly. Take the required number of threads, say 
three; take the first at the left hand and hold it in a 
slanting direction in the right hand as a leader; knot tlie 
second thread (counting from the left hand) on to it^ 
then the third; take the first left hand thread in your 
right hand, as a leader, holding it parallel to the 
leader, knot the other two ou. Take the three next 
threads; Lold the right hand one in the left hand as a 
leader, holding it so that it will slant at the same 
angle as the leaf jnst made. Knot the two threads, 
taking them from right to left on to this leader; take 
the thread that now lies on the right hand and use as 
a leader, holding it parallel to the row just worked. 
The next step is to unite these leaves by a Solomon's 
knot, which is described below. Repeat the process 



196 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

already described, ouly reversiug the direction of the 
leaves. 

SOLOMON'S KNOT, 

This is the second of the two knots useu m Macrame 
and can easily be worked from the illustration. Take 
four threads, hold the two centre ones straight; it is 
more convenient to tie the two centre strands m a slip 
knot and fasten it to one of your dress buttons or pin it 
in place, so as to hold it firm; pass the thread at the left 
side loosely over these. Take the thread at the right 
side, pass it over the first thread and under the centre 
ones, and up through the loop at the left side; draw 
this knot up tight. Then take the right hand thread, pass 
it over the two centre ones loosely; take the left thread, 
pass it over this, under the centre ones, and up 
through the loop at the right side; draw it up tight 
to meet the first part of the knot. This forms one 
completed knot. To make a raised picot, which is 
generally used between two leaves, work six Solomon's 
knots with two threads from either leaf, using the 
centre ones as leaders, and the outside strands as 
working threads. Pass the two centre threads back 
through the opening between the two leaves; take one 
of these threads and knot it once to the thread at the 
left side, take up the other and knot it once to the 
remaining thread at the right side. 

PICOT HEADING, 

Place two double strands round a large pin and 
make two Solomon's knots; then put on a leader. 
This can be varied by working a double chain instead 
of the knots for a heading. 

To work a spiral cord, work one half of a Solo- 
mon's knot continuously over the centre strands. 



AND HOW TO USB THEM. 197 

WAVED BAR. 

This bar is formed of four strands; knot tbe left 
baud tliread five times over tlie centre strands; then 
the right hand five times over the left hand, and repeat. 

A very simple pattern to begin with is worked as fol- 
lows: 

Fasten on 24 double threads, making 48 working ones. 
Knot on to a leader (the length you wish to make the 
fringe). Cat your threads a little more than a yard long. 
Work one row of Solomon's knots. Put on another 
leader. Take four strands. Take the right hand thread 
in your left hand in a slantiug directiou, and knot the 
other three threads on. Take four more strands, use tDe 
left hand thread for a leader, slantiug it to the right, 
knot the remaiuiug three threads on it. 

You have now eight working threads in use. Take 
the two centre threads, and work a 'Solomou's knot with 
the two threads lying respectively on the right and left 
of the centre threads. Take the extreme left hand 
thread, which was the first leader, and holdiug it iu 
your right hand, knot three threads on to it with the left 
hand. Take the second leader, hold it in the left hand, 
slantiug it to meet the one just worked, and knot seven 
threads on; this will finish one diamond and begin 
another. 

Now divide the eight threads with which you are work 
lug; take the four at the right side, hold the first left 
hand one iu the right hand and knot the other three to 
it; make a Solomou's knot as in the first diamond, nnd 
work the lower half of the diamond as directed above, 
only rememberiug to knot ouly three threads on to the 
lower right hand leader instead of seven. Put on 
another leader, and knot the eight threads on. Repeat 
till you have a row six diamonds wide. 

Having knotted all the threads on to tbe leader, 



198 NEEDLES AND BRtlSHES 

make two rows of diamonds with a Solomon's knot 
in the centre of each. Fur the next row take tlie 
top leader of the second diamond, which will be the 
fifth thread, counting from the left. Use this for 
new leader, holding it in your left hand, and knot 
the four right hand threads of the first diamond on 
to it; then take the top tliread on at the left side, 
hold it in the right hand and knot the three threads 
from the left side of the second diamond on to it. 
Finish this diamond as you did those in the last row. 
Eepeat until you have five diamonds; make four 
under these in the same way; three under the four, 
and so on till you have but one oval. Out the fringe 
even. 

If fringe is not wanted, the scollop can be fin- 
ished oft" with a thick edge in the following manner: 
Bend each working thread to the right and knot the 
succeeding threads over them; cut two ends off after 
every second buttonhole stitch so as gradually to 
absorb the whole. 

When working insertion, it is necessary that the 
lower edge should resemble the upper. This is managed 
in the following way: 

Keep the last leader pinned on at both ends; take 
two threads, draw the second up under the line 
in a loop, pass the end of both threads through 
this loop, draw them up tight, to form a knot, the 
same as the one at tlie toj) line. The threads will 
now be in front, betwi en the two last lines. Pass 
these threads to the back, one at each side of the 
knot, tie them firmly together at the back; sew the 
ends neatly to the work, on the wrong side with a 
needle and thread. 

The beauty of Macrame lace, depends chiefly on 
taking care, first to keep the leaders perfectly straight; 
secondly, to work each knot of the same tightness, 



AND HOW TO USE TUEM. 



199 



and thirdly, to draw each knot close up to the last. 
Almost all the patterns giveii may. be worked from 
the illustrations; one or two, however, call for a few 
words of exi)lauation. 

As has been said, the Macramc cord can now be 
obtained in difierent colors. In some of the pat- 
terns, dark and light lines suggest the combination 
of difierent colors, but they can be as easily worked 
in one shade. In Fig. 81 tufts of crewel are intro- 
duced. The manner of fastening- them is clearly shown 
in the illustration. 

The way in which the strands of Solomon's knots 




Fig. 85. 

are crossed is shown in Fig. 85, while the manner 
(Tf fastening in the tufts of crewel is illustrated in 
Fig. 86^ and the making of the picot in Fig. 87. 

Fig. 88, is worked in purse twist of two colors. The 
manner of Avorking the " groppo knots," or rib balls 
and i)icots is shown in Figs. 88a, b, c, and d. 

The square used on the bag in Fig. 89, is worked 
from the main i)art of this design, a narrow gimp 



200 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 




Fig. 86. 




Fig. 87. 



Al^D HOW TO USE THEM. 201 

or quilling of ribbon being used to conceal the edges of 




Fig. 88. 

the Macramo. In the fringe, the working threads of 



202 



NEEDLES AND BIiU;SlTES 



every alternate figure are tied tightly and sewed 
neatly down at the back. 





Fig. 88a. 



Fig. 88b 





Fig. 88c. 



Fis. SS(1. 



Fig. 90, shows how to work a corner in Macrame. The 
illnstration is one end of a militiiry collar M'orked in 
coarse linen thread. Fig. 91 shows how to arrange the 
leading threads. The thrends from tlic side and 
corner picots are gradually worked in and cnt oft' 
after being knotted on to the inside per])endicnlar 
leader, as also the left hand working thread of the 
lower diamond shaped figure. 

Fig. 92, is a guard for a pair of scissors. It is orna- 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 203 

mented with pompons of worsted. Bands to hold 




Fig. 90. 

"back curtains can be worked in the same way. 



204 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 




rig. 92, 



AKD EOW TO USE TEEM 205 

Fig. 93 needs no explanation. It is pretty for knot- 




Fig. 93. 
ting tlie ends of buffet scarfs, etc. 



CROCHET. 



There are very few people who do not imilerstaud liovv 
to work simple patterns in crochet. The stitch itself is 
so extremely simple and so well known that a description 
seems superfluous, but manj' variations exist, which I 
will name and describe before i)roceediug to give any 
patterns. 

Chain Stitch. Make a slip-knot, pass it over the hook, 
put the thread over the hook, aud by a slight movement 
of the hands, draw the thread that is over the hook 
through the slip-loop. Draw the thread again through 
the stitch thus made, and proceed till the chain is of 
the required length. 

Using this chain as a foundation, single crochet is 
worked thus: put the needle through a foundation stitch, 
draw the thread through the stitch worked into, and the 
stitch on the needle, together. 

Double crochet: put the needle hook through a foun- 
dation stitch, twist the thread over the needle, draw 
through the foundation, then di-aw through both loops 
in the needle together. 

Half treble: turn the thread over the needle, pass the 

needle through a foundation stitch, draw through, turn 

the thread again over the needle, and draw through all 

three loops on the needle together. 

206 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 207 

Treble: put the thread once over the needle, insert the 
needle into a foundation stitch, draw a loop through; 
you will then have three on the needle, turn the thread 
again over the needle, draw through two loops, turn the 
thread again over the needle, and draw through the two 
next loops together. 

Double treble: put the thread twice over the needle, 
insert the needle into the foundation, turn the thread 
over the needle, draw through two loops, put the thread 
over the needle again, draw through two loops, put the 
thread over the needle a third time, and draw through 
the two last loops on the needle. 

Cross treble (Fig. 94): Turn the thread twice round 
the needle, insert the needle into a stitch, turn the thread 
over tbe needle, draw through the stitch, turn the thread 
over the needle, draw through two loops together; turn 
the thread over the needle, pass over two stitches, insert 
the needle into the third stitch, draw through, turn the 
thread over the needle, draw through two loops, pass 
the thread over the needle, draw through two loops, 




Fig. 94. 

turn the ttiread over the needle, draw through all the 
loops on the needle together, two chain, one treble into 
centre of cross treble. Eepeat from beginning. 



208 NEEDLES AND BRUSBES 

AFGHAN STITCH OR TRICOT. 

Make a foundation chain, the length required, allow- 
ing one chain over for the forward row. In this stitch, 
a row consists of working ui) and off the loops. 

Insert the needle into the second stitch of cliaiii, draw 
up a loop, keep it on the needle, and continue to draw up 
a loop through each of the following chain stitches. In 
working off, put the thread over the needle, draw 
through the last loop, * put the thread again over 
the needle, and draw through two loops on the needle 
together. Eepeat from * to the end of the row, 

In the second and following rows, work up the loops 
through the front perpendicular loop of each stitch of 
previous row, commencing with second perpendicular 
loop. The last loop of a tricot row appears to He some- 
what at the back of the work. Care must be taken to 
work it, or a straight edge cannot be obtained. 

BASKET PATTERN TRICOT. 




Fig. 95. 



Make a chain of the length required. 

1st row: Work up a loop through the first stitch,work 
one chain through the loop, repeat until all the loops are 
worked up. In working off, work through a loop. Slip 
each alternate loop off the hook, work three chain 
between the loops worked through. 



AND HOW TO USE TBEM. 209 

2d row: Puss the slipped-off loop at the back of the 
chain; draw up a loop through it, theu work one chain 
through the loop, draw up a loop through the next loop, 
and under the chain, work one chain through the loop. 
Repeat from the beginning' of the row until all the loops 
are worked up; the loops are worked oft' as described 
for the first row. 

The second row is repeated tliroughout. Remember 
that in afg-han stitch, or tricot, working up and oft", is 
reckoned as one row. 

TUFT STITCH. 




Fi^. 96. 

1st row: One double into each foundation stitch. 

2ud row: * One double into a stitch: draw u^) a loop 
through the next stitch, draw the riglit side of the loop 
with the finger and thumb of the left hand, over the left 
side of the loop (see arrow), insert the hook into the 
loop thus held by the finger, draw up a loop, turn the 
thread over the hook, draw uj) another loop, draw 
through five loops on the hook together, work up a loop 
through the last stitch worked into, draw through both 
loops on the hook together. Repeat from * 

These two rows are repeated throughout, arranging the 
tuft stitches so that they he between each other in 
alternate rows; this is done by commencing one pattern 
row with the double, and the other with a tuft stitch. 



210 NEEDLES AND B RUSHES 

MUSCOVITE TRICOT. 






Fig. 97 

1st row: Work up tlie loops as for ordinary tricot, 
work off tlie first loop, * three chain, work off the two 
next loops. Repeat from * 

2ucl row: Work up the loops like last row, * three 
chain, work off two loojis. Eej)eat from * to the end of 
the row. These two rows are repeated alternately. 

CARRIAGE MAT WITH FOOT WARMERS IN MUSCOVITE 

TRICOT. 

It will be found convenient in working this mat, to cut 
a paper pattern of the exact size wanted, on which the 
work may be measured from time to time, to see that the 
centre and border are duly proportioned. It is also 
much easier to work the centre and border separately. 

Mark upon the paper the size you wish the centre to 
be, and make a chain a little longer to allow for taking 
up in working; with the dark olive wool work in Musco- 
vite tricot. 

Cat patterns also of the foot muffs fitting the crochet 
to them. The border is also in Muscovite tricot, worked 
with the light olive wool; it must be shaped at the 
corners by working three stitches into one in each row; 
it is joined to the centre by a needle and wool. The 
foot-warmers are worked with the darkest shade, and 
are lined throughout with looped knitting 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 211 

For the looped knitting", cast on as many stitches as 
are required for tlie top of foot-warmers witli red wool. 

1st row: Kuit. 

2ud row: Kuit one, take a ball of the darkest olive 
wool and pass the end between the first and second 




Fig. 98. 

stitches, knit the seconu stitch, pass the wool back, 
leaving- a loop of about one and a half inch. Repeat 
from the beffiuniug of the row. 



212 NEEDLES AND BBU8EES 

Each alternate row is kuitted plaiu; this makes the 
loops of wool on the same side each time. Work the 
looped knitting to the shape of foot-warmer, and also to 
fit the bottom of mat over which the foot-warmer is 
sewn; the necessary decrease must be made by knitting 
two stitches together at the end of the row. A band of 
looped knitting, about eight stitches in width, is sewn 
across the top of the foot-warmers. 

Tor the crochet edge: — 

1st row: Work with dark olive one double into a 
stitch at the etlge of border. Pass over one stitch, one 
double, one half treble, one treble, one half treble, and 
one double into next stitch, pass over one stitch, and 
repeat from the beginning of the row. 

2ud row (with red wool): One double into the first 
double of last row, one single into each stitch of scallop. 
Repeat. 

Directions for making the balls will be found on page 
214. They are of red ayooI and are sewn to the border 
by a needle and wool. The card for balls should be cut 
to the size of a fifty-cent piece. The rug must be 
lined witli red baize to the edge of the border of point 
Muscovite. 

CROCHET FRINGE. 

This pretty fringe is suitable for ornamenting wood 
baskets, waste-paper baskets, etc. ; it is worked with 
fine olive cord and dark crimson Berlin wool. 

To commence, make a chain the length required with 
a crochet hook, No. 8 (Walker's bell gauge), and the 
cord. 

1st row: One double into a stitch, three chain, pass 
over three stitches and repeat. 

2nd row: One double into first of three chain, eight 
chain, one double into last of next three chain. Repeat 
from the beginning of the row, 



AlfB HOW TO USE TEEM. 213 

For the lieadiiig": Work one double into a stitch, 
three chain, pass over two stitches, and repeat from the 
beginning of the row. 

The tassels are made by turning wool eighteen times 




Fig. 99. 

over a card measuring two inches in breadth; cut the 
wool at one end, tie tightly around the other about half 
an^inch from the top; they are sewn to the scallop of 
crochet with a needle and wool. The method of working 
the stitches with wool in each scallop is clearly shown 
in the illustration. A length of cord is knotted in the 
depth between two scollops. 



214 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

To make the little fluffy balls so much used in con- 
nection with crochet in wools, cut two circular i)ieces of 
card board, regulatiug the size by the size it is desired 
to have the balls. For ordinary" use, a fifty cent piece 
would be a good guide. Cut a hole in the centre, and 
with a needle and wool sew evenly over both cards 
until tlie central hole is quite filled np. Cut the wool 
between the cards with a sharp penknife or scissors, 
and tie the wool tightly in the centre between the cards, 
liemove the cards, rub the ball in the hand, steam it 
over boiling water, and trim the edges with a pair of 
scissors. 

Good parlor balls for children can be made with single 
or double Zephyr wool of all colors over cards measuring 
four inclies in diameter, with a hole in the centre one 
and a half inches in diameter, tied strongly between the 
discs with fine twine. Fig. lUO shows the ball before 
the discs are removed. 




Fig. 100. 

BEADED TRICOT. 

Make a chain of the required length, and work one 
row of plain afghan stitch. Then in the next row, * 
work up stitch; work up second stitch and make three 
chain; ])ut the needle through the same stitch the chain 
started from, throw the wool round the needle and pull 
it through last two stitches, repeat from * to the end of 
row, working off the stitches as usual. 

In the next row reverse the order of the beads. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 215 

Geometrical figures can be worked by means of these 
beads on a ground of plain tricot. It is a useful stitch 
for quilts, children's afghans, etc. 

Another way of ornamenting a plain ground of close 
crochet, whether tricot or i)lain double crochet, is an 
imitation of tatting, and is worked as follows. 

Work three cliaiu, then make a loop over left fore- 
finger in such a way tliat the end connected with the 
spool or ball will be in front; insert needle over the front 
and wider tlie back thread, draw up the thread on the 
needle as a knot; change the arrangement of the loop 
on the left hand, so that the ball end of the thread will 
be at tlie back; pass the hook under the back thread 
(which will be the first counting from the needle), and 
over the front or second thread; draw up as a knot. A 
little difficulty may be experienced at first in making 
these knots lie smoothly, but practice will render it easy. 
Work nine double knots, then put the thread round tlie 
needle and draw througli all the knots; put the thread 
round the needle, and draw through the last stitch on 
the needle. This forms an eyelet like those made with a 
tatting shuttle. In using this stitch in connection with 
tricot, three worked up stitches take the place of the 
three chain stitches which are worked between the 
"tatting" loops. 

STAR STITCH. 

Make a chain the length required, draw up a loop 
through each of five successive stitches, draw througli 
all the loops on the needle, close the cluster with one 
chain, * draw up a loop under the last chain, another 
tliYough back perpendicular of last stitch, and one 
through each of the two next stitches, draw through all 
the loops on the hook together, close with one chain, 
Kepeat from * to the required size. For the edge in the 
illustration: 

1st row: One double into every stitch. 



216 



NEEDLES AND BRU3HR3 



2n(l row: One double into a stitch, * pass over two 
stitches, eight trebles under next stitch. Repeat from * 




Fier. 101. 



TO JOIN AFGHAN STRIPES OF TWO COLORS. 

The ends of the two colored wools should be joined, 
and then a chain of three be made on one, and this 
crocheted into the first two stitches of the held together 
stripes; then a chain of three made on the other wool 
and crocheted into the next two stitches, alternating the 
colors through the length of the stripes. In case of a 
Roman stripe two colors contrast'ng harmoniously with 
all the colors used in the stripes should be taken. Black 
and yellow are generally useful for such stripes. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM 



217 



Petticoat for child of one yeae old. 




Fig. 102, 



Materials required, six ounces white and one ounce 
scarlet Berlin wool (crochet-hooks Kos. 10 and 12). The 
waist and skirt are worked separately. It is best worked 
to a paper x)attern. With the ^Yhite wool and hook No. 
12 begin the bodice on the button side of the back. For 
a child of the age mentioned a chain of about thirty-six 
inches will be required. Work as follows: one treble 
into the back horizontal stitch of each loop; increase by 
working twice into each stitch at the bottom of every 
other row to make the slope at the bottom of the waist. 
To shape the armhole pass over two stitches at the com- 
mencement of one row, and at the end of the next row 
until you have worked to the centre of armhole, then 
increase in the same proportion that you decreased. 
Work straight across the front without increase or 



21S NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

decrease; the other armliole and back are worked in the 
same way as described for the first side. 

For the skirt, work with the same hook: 

1st row: One double into each stitch at the edge of 
waist; join round. 

2nd row: One double into each of three stitches; two 
chain, repeat. 

3rd row: One double into each stitch, three doubles 
into each chain stitch. Kepeat. 

4th row: One double into each stitch at right side of 
the scallop, three doubles into the centre stitch, and one 
double into each stitch at the other side of the scollop. 
This last row is to be repeated nine times more; tlieu 
with hook ;N'o. 10 nine rows more, three of these in scar- 
let, and two with white; this finishes the skirt. 

For the trimming at the top of the waist, work one 
double into a stitch at the Qf^gQy five chain, one treble 
into the first, pass over three stitches and repeat. When 
worked, the treble between the chains should be iiarallel 
with the top of the waist. 

2nd row: One single with scarlet wool into each stitch 
of the last row. This is for the edge that turns down. 

For the stand >ip edge: — 

1st row: "Work one treble into stitch at the edge of 
waist, five chain, one treble into the first chain stitch 
(this forms the bottom of the scollop), pass over three 
stitches, two trebles into the next two stitches, five 
chain, one treble into the first, i^ass over three, and 
repeat. 

2nd row: One double into each stitch of last end with 
scarlet wool. Run ribbon in and out through the trebles 
and tie in a bow. The same edging is worked round the 
arraholes. 

SHAWL IN CROCHET. 

Make a very loose chain as long as you want your 
shawl square, say nearly two yards long. Turn and 



AliD HOW TO tJSEJ TE^M. 219 

make tliree trebles iu the seventli loop of chain. * Tben 
skix) four chain, and make one double crochet in fifth 
chain, then make three chain, then three trebles in same 
chain that you made one double crochet in. Then skip 
four chain, and make one double crochet in fifth cliain 
and repeat from * to the end of the row. j^fter making- 
three trebles in last chain you turn and make tbree 
chain; then make one * double chain in the last tbree 
chain of the previous row; make three chain, then make 
three treble in the same place you made the last double 
crochet. Make one double crochet in the next three 
chain, and repeat from * . Make a border of shell stitch 
after the shawl is square. Use a very coarse ivory needle 
for the shawl. 

INFANT'S SACQUE IN SHELL STITCH. 

Make a chain of one hundred stitcbes for a foundation. 

1st row: Crochet across a row of open trebles, i. e., 
one chain between each and skipping- one stitch in the 
foundation, fifty trebles in all. 

2nd row: Turn the work and crocbe't back making a 
shell of two trebles each, between each treble of first 
row, forty-eight shells. 

3rd row: Widen for the shoulders by crocheting three 
trebles in the eleventh and twelftli shells from each edge. 

4th row: Phiin, except to make two shells in each 
place where it was widened in tbe preceding row. 

Continue widening every other row on the shoulders 
until you have widened five times, being careful to widen 
directly under tbe shell where you widened first. 

8th row: Widen in the two shells in the centre of tbe 
baclj: in the same way as you did for the shoulders. In 
widening the back widen always in the two centre 
stitches (not as on the shoulders). 

12th roAv: Crochet eleven shells, then back to the first 
side, dropping all the shells between the widening shells 
for a shoulder gore— skip ten shells for part of the arm- 



220 NEEDLES AND BRUBSE8 

hole. Crocliet two rows on the back the same way (there 
should be thirty shells for the back and eleveu shells ou 
each front); join under the armhole with four chain stit- 
ches and work three shells into these chains in the 14th 
row. 

Crochet eleven rows across, widening every third row 
in the centre of the back and finish with a border of 
shells all around it. The shells in the border are of 
three trebles into every other shell and a double crochet 
into the shell between. The neck has an extra row of 
shells before the border row. For the sleeve, commence 
under the arm and crochet twelve rows of shells into the 
armhole and finish with the border. 

This is i^retty made in two colors, using one for the 
body and the other for a border in this way: 

20th row: Join the border color and crochet two rows, 
then one row of the body color, then two rows of the 
border color all around the edge of the sacque, and then 
finish with the shells of three trebles. 

Eun a cord with tassels or a ribbon through the holes 
at the neck, and you will have a neat sacque very rapidly 
and easily made. 

Materials required— about three ounces of Saxony 
yarn — two of one color, one of the other. 

CROCHETED aLOVES. 

Four ounces of German fingering, with steel hook No. 
12 (about equal in size to a ~So. 16 knitting-needle as sold 
in the stores) will make a full-sized, warm and comfort- 
able gentleman's over-glove. The same quantity of 
Andalusiau or Saxony, and a hook three or four sizes 
smaller, will make a lady's size glove. 

Make a chain of seventy-three stitches, work seventy- 
two DC (double crochet) ou it, unite into a ring and work 
six rounds of DO. 



AND HOW TO VSE THEM. 221 

8tli round: Five DC, one DC betNveeu the next two 
stitches to increase for tlie thumb, sixty-seven DC. 

In every successive round increase one on each side 
this one stitch for the thumb, nntil you have thirty extra 
stitches. Then finish the tliumb as follows: 

A DC on each of these thirty stitches, then eighteen 
chain and join to the first DC of the thirty. On tlie next 
round work forty-eight DC. In every round after this, 
miss the first and last of the eighteen extra DC; this 
forms a gusset. When the stitches have been reduced 
to the original thirty, work fifteen rounds plain— that is 
in DC, without any decreasiugs. From this point of the 
thumb work three DC, miss the next, and repeat this 
round and round till only four stitches are left. Finish 
the thumb by working these four stitches at once, and 
fasten oft" on the side, ^ 

Now return to the hand. In addition to the original 
seventy-two stitches, there were eighteen added for the 
thumb gusset. On these ninety stitches work sixteen 
rounds of DC, and then divide them for the fingers, fifty 
stitches for the back of the hand and forty for the front. 

For the first finger work twelve DC from the back, 
eleven from the front, make ten chain, and join to the 
first DC. On the next round work thirty-three DC, and 
in succeeding rounds miss the first and last of the extra 
ten chain until only twenty-three at left. On these 
twenty-three stitches work twenty rounds plain DC — or 
till the finger is long enough. Then decrease and finish 
off as directed for the thumb. 

For the second finger take twelve from the back, ten 
from the front, add a chain of ten as before, and use the 
ten chain of the forefinger gusset for the other side of 
the finger— forty-two stitches in all, with a gusset often 
chain on each side of the finger. Decrease on each of 
these ten chain as directed for the first finger, till twenty. 



222 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



two stitches are left, then work twenty-three rounds 
plain, and taper and finish off as before. 

Work the third finger the same as the second, bnt work 
twenty plain ronnds only — not twenty-three ronnds. The 
remaining twenty-three stitches are for the last fiiiger 
which only has a gusset on the side next to the preceding 
finger. Decrease on this gusset till only twenty-two 
stitches are left, work eighteen rounds plain, and tlien 
finish off as before. 

The second glove is made in the same manner, care 
being taken to make them right and left by reversing 
the stitches for front and back. 

THE CUFF. 

Hold the work with the right side outside, begin where 
the chain is joined, and work a row of looped crochet. 
Break off at the end. Do ten more rows. On the 11th 
roAv increase at each end, also in the 15tli, 19th, 24th and 
29th rows. Work thirty three rows in all and finish. 
Sew in neatly all the ends; sew on a piece of strong 
leather, and insert a spring. 

The backs of the gloves can be embroidered in any 
simple stitch. 

CROCHET COLLAR AND CUFF. 




Fig. 103. 



AND HOW TO USE TEEM 223 

This is to be worked in fine linen thread with a steel 
needle. It is very pretty for an edging and can be 
crocheted as narrow or as deep as desired. The extra 
width shown in the illnstrntion is not needed for the 
cnff; about three inches of it is worked to turn the 
corner for the collar, which should be made u\) like tlie 
knitted one given in the next chapter. 

For the cuff make a chain of forty-four stitches. 

1st row; Pass over six stitches, one treble into the 
seventh, two chain, pass over one stitch, * one double 
into the next, two chain, pass over two stitches, two 
trebles separated by three chain into the next, two chain, 
pass over two stitches, one double into the next, repeat 
from * five times more, * two chain, pass over two stit- 
ches, one treble into the next, three chaiu, one treble 
into the same stitch; turn. 

2Qd row: Three chain, one treble under three chain 
of last row, * five chaiu, two trebles separated by two 
chain under next three chain, repeat from * five times 
more; turn. 

3rd row: Four chain,* two trebles separated by three 
chain under two chain, two chain, one double into centre 
of five chain, two chain, repeat from * five times more, 
two trebles separated by two chain under two chain; 
turn. 

4tli row: Three chain, one treble under two chain, * 
five chain, two trebles separated by two chain under 
three chain, repeat from * five times more, one chain, 
thirteen trebles under four chain, one double into first 
row of pattern (see design) ; turn. 

5th row: Fourteen trebles each separated by one 
chain between the trebles of last row and under the one 
chain, one chain, * two trebles separated by two chain 
under two chain, two chain, one double into centre ol 
five chain, two chain, repeat from * five times more, two 



224 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

chain, two trebles separated by two chain under the 
chain at the turn of hist row ; turn. 

6th row: Three chain, one treble under two chain, * 
five chain, two trebles separated by five chain under two 
chain, repeat from * five times more, two chain, fourteen 
trebles, each separated by one chain between the trebles 
of last row; turn. 

7th row: T\^'o cliain, fourteen half trebles each sepa- 
rated by two chain between the trebles of last row, three 
chain, * two trebles separated by three chain under two 
chain, two chain, one double into centre of five chain, 
two chain, rex)eat from * five times more, two chain, two 
trebles under the chain at the turn of last row. Eex^eat 
from second row for the length required. 

For the edge, work one-half treble under the two chain 
at the turn of the last row, one-half treble under the 
fourth two chain on next scollop, * three chain, one-half 
treble under next two chain, repeat from * eight times 
more, three chain, then repeat from the beginning of the 
row. 

For the narrow part used for the corner of collar, work 
the four repeats of the first patterns of the first and 
second rows alternately. 

NARROW EDGING. 




Fig. 104. 

This edging is worked in the width, a heading being 
crocheted on afterwards. 

Make a chain of nine stitclies, join in a round, make 
two chain, three trebles into the ring, keep the top loop 
of each on the hook, and draw through altogether; six 
chain, one single into the first, three trebles into the 



AND HOW TO USE TEEM. 225 

foundation liug, keep tbe top loop of each on the hook, 
and draw through altogether; two chain, one single into 
tlic foundation loop. Eepeat. 

For the heading: Two trebles under the chain of nine, 
four chain. Eepeat from beginning of row. 

Fig. 105 is an edging of feather edge or mignardise 






Fig. 105. 

braid and crochet. Care should be taken in choosing the 
braid, which should be line and tinn. No. is a very 
good number. I have found that this kind of crochet 
washes much better when worked rather loosely, although 
it is not quite so handsome at first as when crocheted 
together. 

Begin with the leaf line; work one double into a 
mignardise picot; eight chain; fasten to third picot of 
mignardise; work back on the eight chain; one double, 
five treble, and one double. This finishes one leaf. 
Three chain, six chain, fasten to second picot, one double, 
four treble, and one double for this leaf. Three chain, 
five chimin, fasten to second picot; work one double, 
three treble, and one double. Nine chain, one double 
into third picot; * one treble into following picot, 
seven chain, one single into picot last treble was worked 
into. Eepeat from * twice more, then work as before 
described, but in reversed order; then repeat again 
from the beginning. 



226 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



For the otlier side, one chain, two double into two 
following picots (see design), eight chain, twist the 
cotton three times round the hook, oue double into 
picot (see design), twist the cotton twice round the 
hook, oue double into next picot; again twist the cotton 
twice round the hook, oue treble passing over one 
picot, twist the cotton three times round the hook, three 
treble (see design). The loops on the hook must now 
be worked o£f, and the treble and double stitches worked 
opposite to those already worked; finish with a row of 
alternately one chain and one treble. 

D'OYLEY: WAVED BRAID AND CROCHET. 




Begin the work between the slanting line of braid and 
the lower left-hand point of the outer circle (see Fig. 
107). 



AJ^D now TO rsE ruEM. 227 

Count the points of bruid and place tlieni as shown in 
No. 107. Work one double in the seveutli and eighth 
l)oiuts together, two chain. Join these two pieces of 
braitl together by working one double into each of the 
four points on both sides together (see design). Fasten 
off. 

* Now work one double into the second point from the 
top of left-hand side of braid, two chain, one double into 
next point, one chain, one double into next point, one 
chain, one treble into each of the three next successive 
points of the braid, one chain, one double into each of 
the three next points of the braid, join to the first 
double of this inner side of point, and fasten off (with a 
needle, to secure the cotton and make the work neal). 
Between the small points, which come alternately, join 
witli a needle and cotton, working with it two chain 
between the points.. Rei)eat from '-i' until you have 
eight complete points (see No. 107). 

For the inside of the pattern work one double into the 
first inner left-hand point of braid, six chain, one double 
into the next inner point, twelve chain, one double into 
next point, six chain, one treble into each of three next 
inner points, six chain, one double into the next point, 
six chain, one single into the centre of twelve chain, six 
chain, one double into the next point, four chain, one 
single into the second of first six chain, two chain, one 
double into the lower point. This completes the inner 
part; fasten off. 

The braid is carried across to begin the next outer 
pattern in the same place as the last. 

Leave eight clear points on the lower side of the braid, 
and begin the next circle. (Ten circles are needed for 
tlie d'oyley). 

After working between the first two lines of braid 
for the next circle, work on the outer side of the points 
of braid left between the two circles, two chain, one 



228 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

treble iuto each of the five poiuts. The doiible-treble.s 
and chain-stitches between the circles will be mora 
easy to work from the design than from descriptiou 
when all the ten outer circles are worketl and joined. 




Fig. 107. 

For the border, work one treble into first outer 
point of circle (see right-hand side of Fig. 107), three 
chain, one single into next point, eight chain, one 
single iu the fourth, three chain, cue siuglo into next 



AND SOW TO USE TEEM. 229 

point, six cliain, one single into fourtb, two chain, one 
single into next point, * eight chain, one single into 
the fourth, three chain, oue single into next point of 
braid. Eepeat from * twice more. Six chain, one 
single into fourth, two chain, one single into next 
point. Eepeat between the two last **. Six chain, one 
single into the fourth, two cliain, one single into the 
next point, eight chain, one single in the fourth, three 
cliain, one single in tbe next point five chain, one treble 
into next point, seven chain. Repeat from the begin- 
ning of the edge. 

For the middle of d'oyley, join the braid neatly 
with a needle aud cotton to tbe piece of braid tlie 
first circle was begun with. Count the points of braid 
in No. 107, and arrange tbera as shown in the cut. 
The straight inner lines of braid lying together aie 
sewn to the two middle points of the braid, which 
connect the circles. Tbe inner lines are worked with 
two chain, one double into the two points lying togetber. 
Repeat nine times more; this finishes tbe straight 
centre lines. 

The chain-stitches in the centre of each division can 
be easily worked from the design. 

For tbe middle star, five chain, join round. 

1st Round: Two chain, one treble; repeat four times 
more. 

2nd Round: Five chain, one double under the two 
chain, five chain, one double under the same; repeat 
all round. 

3rd Round: Seven chain, one double under the live 
chain. 

4th Round: Five chain; one double in the centre of 
five chain. Join to the centre point of braid; five 
chain, one double in the centre of next five chain; 
join to the next centre point of braid. Eepeat all 
round. 



230 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

The bag- illustrated iu Fig-. 108, is made of plush or 
satin, and decorated with crochet worked iu single strips 




Fiff. 108, 



as in Fig". 109. This ])atteiii is worked in strips on a 
loundation of single chain the liMigth of tiie bag', an<l 
sewn or crocheted together iit the points. These 




Fig. 109, 

strips are in turn sewed to a foundation of <lonW6 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



231 



crochet the length of the bag. The bag from which this 
pattern was taken was of olive green plush lined with 
satin of the same color, the crochet was worked in gold 
s])angled tbread, and the balls were of Hamburgh work 
ill two shades of olive greeu, but the effect of the crochet 
would be very good if done in very fine seine twine, or 
coarse ecru linen thread. A very pretty tidy could be 
made of fine seine twine crocheted after this pattern and 
arranged as in the bag, colored ribbon being run through 
the open work. The ends should be finished with a tied 
in fringe. 

HAIRPIN WORK OR CROCHET GIMP. 

This is worked over a fork shaped like a large 




Fig. 110. 



hairpin. It should be made of stout wire, copper 
being preferable. For narrow work, one of the pins 
used for crimping the hair would do, but for some 
patterns it is desirable to have a wider fork. The 
gimp"' is very useful for making various handsome 
edgings being crocheted into different patterns after 
the manner of miguardise braid. Pretty breakfast 
caps can be made of lengths worked from the following 
l)attern and sewed together, one length being sewed 
around as a border. Make a slip-loop, x^ass it over one 



232 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

side of the fork, briDging the knot in the middle of 
the fork, turn the fork round, and you will have a 
loop on each side. Draw u]) a stitch through the 
first loop, make one chain, * take out the hook, 
turn tlie pin and insert the hook in the stitch from 
which it was withdrawn, work one double under 
left-hand loop. Repeat from * 

BAG FOR SOILED LACES IN HAIRPIN - WORK AND 
CROCHET. 

This bag is composed of lengths of hairpin-work 
of fawn-colored cotton, joined with crochet chain worked 
in scarlet. For the hairx)iii-work, commence by making 
a loop in the cotton, pass it over one side of the fork, 
turn the tork, the cotton will form a loop over the 
oilier side of the fork, insert the hook in the first 
loop, draw up a looj), ^ work two doubles into the 
left-hand loop, take out the hook, turn the tork trom 
left to riglit, draw u)) a loop through the stitch from 
which you M'ithdrew the hook, then repeat from *. 
rdake fourteen lengths of haii'pin-work, twelve inches 
ill length, with fawn cotton. Then work a length of 
fifteen inches to form tlie border; join the fourteen 
lengths by working with scarlet cotton one double into 
two loops ot hairpin-work, three chain; take another 
length, *one double into six loops together, three chain, 
one double into six loops of first length, repeat from *, 
working from side to side the length of the work; all the 
lengths are joined in the same way. For the bottom a 
circle of fifteen inches in circumference is needed; this 
is made by joining seven graduated lengths of hairpin- 
work together. Tlie centre length measures five and a 
half inches, the lengths on each side being gradually 
narrower; this is joined by a needle and thread to the 
upper part of bag. 



AUtD SOW fO OSS THEM. 



233 



For the trimming coveriug the join, see Fig. 111. 

Work one double into six loops, three chain, one 
double into the end of a length of hairpin-work, three 
chain, one double into next six loops together, three 
chain, one double into the double worked into two loops, 
three chain. Repeat from the beginning of the row. 




m. 



For the edge: Work one double into six loops together, 
six chain, one single into the third, three chain. Eepeat. 
A wire is run through the top of trimming (see design), 
to keep the bag in a round form. The top of bag is 
drawn together by running strings of ribbon. 

EDGING OF HAIRPIN-WORK AND CROCHET. 

Make a piece of hairpin - work about the length 
required for the edging. 

For the edge of the trimming: One single into a loop 
of hairpin-work, three chain, one single into the first 
chain, one chain, one single into each of fifteen loops of 
hairpin-work, three chain, one single into first picot, one 



234 



iraisunES AND BRUSHES 



chain, oue single into second of three chain, one chain, 
* oue double into a loop hairpin-work, five chain, one 
double into second chain, one chain, repeat from * six 
times more, then repeat from beginning' of the row. 

For the heading': — 

1st row: One chain, one single, separated by one chain 
into each of three loops of liairpiu-work in the depth ot 
a scallop, one single into each of nine loops, one single 
separated by one chain into each of three next 
loops, one chain, one single into first chain; fasten 
the cotton off" securely, and work the same in the 
dei)th of each scallop. A reference to tlie illustration 
while working this will make the directions quite plain. 

2nd row: One triple treble under the chain in the 
deptli of the scallop, three chain, one double treble 
through the next two loops of hairpin together, three 
chain, one treble through two next loops together, three 
chain, one double treble through two next loops together 
three chain. Repeat from beginning of row. 

3rd row: One treble separated by one chain into each 
alternate stitch of last row. 

BORDER IN HAIRPIN-WORK AND CROCHET FOR SHET- 
LAND OR EIS WOOL SHAWL. 




Fig. 112. 

A fork two inches across is required for the hairpin- 
worlc, and in making it, two double are crocheted instead 
of one double between each turning of the fork. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 236 

When you liave made the length required (using Shet- 
land or Eis Wool), work as follows: 

1st row : One double through twenty-two loops of hair- 
pin-work together, crossing as in illustration by taking 
the second eleven loops on the needle before the first 
eleven, seven chain, one single into centre of hairpiu- 
work (see design), seven chain. Repeat from beginniug 
of row. 

2nd row: Draw up three loops through double of last 
row, leave the loops staudiug out, work one double into 
the same stitch, two chain, pass over two stitches, one 
single into the next, five chain, one single iuto the double 
of last row, five chain. Eei^eat from the beginning of 
last row. 

3rd row : One double into the three loops that were 
left standing up of last row, three chain, one single into 
each of the three next successive stitches, draw up three 
loops through the next. 

4th row : One single iuto the second of three chain of 
last rosv, four chain, one double into the next three loops 
together, four chain, one single into second of three 
chain, five chain, pass over four stitches, and repeat from 
the beginning of the row. 

5th row : One single into the third of four chain of last 
row, two chain, take another length of hairpin-work and 
work one single into a centre stitch, then one single iuto 
the double of last row, two chain, pass over one stitch, 
one single iuto the next, tliree chain, one double into 
twenty-two loops of hairpin-work together, cross the 
loops as in the first row, three chain. Repeat from the 
beginning of the row. 

For the heading: Work a row like the first on the 
other side of hairpin-work, then work one double into 
double worked in the loops of hairi)in-work, ten chain, 
and repeat. 

For the edge: — 



236 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

1st row: Like the first row worked on the other side. 

2Qd row: Draw up three loops through the double 
worked into the hairpin-loops, six chain, one double into 
next double, six chain. Repeat from the beginning of 
the row. 

3rd row: Draw up three loops through the first of 
six chaiu, six chain, one double into next double, six 
chain, draw up three loops through the last of six chain, 
one single into three loops. Eepeat from the beginning 
of the row. 

4th row: One single through the first three loops 
together, and draw up three loops through the same 
loops, five chain, one double into next double, five chain, 
work up three loops through next three loops together, 
two chain, work up three loops through the last chaiu, 
one chain. Eepeat from the beginning ofthe row. 

5th row : Work up three loops through the first three 
loops of last row, four chain, one double into next double, 
four chain, work up three loops through the next three 
loops together, one chain, work up three loops through 
this stitch, one single through the next three loops 
together, one chain, work up three loops through this 
chain, and repeat from the beginning of the row. 

6th row: Work up three loops through first three 
loops together, six chain, one double into next double, 
five chain, one single into first of six chain, five chain, 
one double into the same stitch last double was worked 
into, five chain, work up three loops through next three 
loops together, one chain, work up three loops through 
the chain, work up three loops through the next three 
loops together, one chain, work up three loops through 
the chaiu, work up three loops through the next three 
loops together, one chain, work up three loops through 
the chain. Repeat from the beginning of the row. 

7th row : One single into the first of five chain of last 
row, one single through the three loops together, three 



AND now TO USE THEM. 



237 



chain, one single througb the same three loops, repeat 
from * five times more, then repeat from the beginning 
of the row. 
Figure 113 shows a very jiretty way of trimming a 




Fif?. 113. 



wicker work basket with hairpin- work and tassels. The 
basket has a full lining of silk. It is easier to line the 
sides first, sewing the npper edge of the lining on and 
turning it over so as to conceal the seam. Then cut a 
piece of stifi^iiaper or cardboard exactly fitting into the 
bottom of the basket, cover it with the silk used for 
lining the basket, and either fasten it in place hj means 
of a little gum or glue^ or catch it down with a few 
-^titclies. 



238 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

In tlie i)atteru basket, the liairpiu-work (Figure 114) 




Fig. 114. 

was tloue with Berliii wool and gold thread while the 
tassels were of silk. The hairpin-work is made iu two 
widths, and sewed together. In the widest, three double 
are crocheted between each turn of the fork. The tassels 
are made b^'^ winding silk or wool round a card of the 
requisite width. After a sufficient quantity is wound, 
take a, worsted needle threaded with the wool, doubled, 
l)ass throngh the upper edge, and tie tiglitly (having, 
removed the card), tie again a sliort distance from the 
toj). Cat the lower edge or not as you fancy. Some 
comb the tassels which makes them soft and Hiitiy ; when 
this is done they should be made rather extra large as 
the combing reduces the size. 

Another variety of crochet gimp is worked over a 
wooden fork, having one side much wider than the other. 

It can be eaily whittled from soft wood and sand- 
papered until perfectly smooth. To make the fringe 
shown in Figure 115 make a loop of wool, pass it over 
the narrow side of the fork, turn the fork, and you will 
liave a loop over the wide side; draw np a stitch through 
the first loop on the hoolc, turn the fork, draw u]) a stitch 
through the narrow loop, draw tiaougli both loops on 



AKD now TO USE THEM 



230 



the hook together. 
required. 



Repeat from * for the length 








Fig. 115. 

For the crochet heading, which is worked with a 
lighter color of wool: 

1st row: One double into of the wide loops of the 
fork, work together, turning the loops as shown in Fig. 
115, two chain. Eepeat. 

2nd row: One double under two chain, three chain. 
Eepeat. 

For the edge: Work one double into two of the small 
loops (see cut), five chain, repeat. Strands of wool, 
about one and a half inches deeji, are knotted into the 
loop ef five chain to form tassels; a little ball of the 
lightest shade of wool is sewn under the heading at 
equal distances. 

This fringe could be made deeper by fastening two or 
more rows of the hairj^in-work together, before crochet- 
ing the heading and edge. The loops of each should be 



240 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

twisted as in the design in this case. This would fornl 
a suitable trimming for such a small round table as is 
shown in Figure 139, page 303, The top of the table can 
be covered with plush or felt. 
Figure 116 shows a basket work stand with trimming 




Fig. 116. 

made of fork work after design in Figure 117, the wide 
loops being caught together at regular intervals with 
woolen balls. The same trimming can be used on various 
shaped baskets. Used as an edgiug for a band of em- 
broidered felt it would be very ])retty for a ti-ash basket. 



AND TTOW TO USE TlWM. 



241 



It could also be used as au edgiug for a table or mautel 
drapery. 




Fig. 117. 
EDGING IN HAIRPIN-WORK AND CROCHET. 




Pig. 118. 

Make tLe length recoil ired in ordinary hairpin-work. 
Then work 

One double in a loop of hairpin-work, three chain, 
one double in the next, two chain, one double in the 
next, one chain, x>ut the hook through eight loops of 
hairpin-work, j^ull through with one single, one chain, 
one double in the next loop of hairpin-work, two chain, 
one double in the next loop; turn, four chain, one double 
in the first of the first two chain, turn and work five 



242 NEEDLES AND BRUSSES 

double under the four chain, one double into the next 
loop of hairpin-work, three chain, one double into the 
next loop. Repeat. 

For the edge round the scallop begin in the deep part 
of scallop. Work two loops together four times in suc- 
cession with one double, taking four loops from one side 
and four from the other, separated by three chain, one 
double into six successive loops, three chain. Repeat 
from beginning of row. 

ANOTHER EDGING. 

Make the length required in hairpin-work. 

1st row: * One double in three successive loops of 
hairpin-work with one chain between, twelve chain, one 
single through nine successive loops of hairpin-work, 
two chain, one single in the ninth of twelve chain, two 
chain, one single in the sixth of twelve chain, five chain; 
repeat from *. 

2nd row: One treble in the first double of last row, 
two chain, pass over two, one treble in the next. 

For the edge, begin in the depth of the scallop, * one 
double in four successive loops of hairpin-work, five 
picots (of five chain, one double in the fourth) with one 
double after each picot in five successive loops of hair- 
pin-work, three double in three successive loops of hair- 
X>in-work; repeat from *. 

CROCHET EDaiNG. 

This edging is very pretty for trimming underclothing 
when fine crochet cotton is used, and in seine twine will 
make a good edge for draping a mantle or bracket. A 
very serviceable tidy can be made from this pattern also 
by repeating the shells and open work (omitting the 
scallops), until the required widtli is worked. When 
the tidy is long enough, cast off, tie fringe of the cord 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 243 

into the bottom autl run satiu ribbon through the open 
work strix^es. The edging is worked as follows: 




Fig. 119. 

1st row: Nineteen chain stitches. 

2nd row: Three double stitches on eleventh chain, 
two chain, three double on next stitch, three chain, one 
single chain on the fourth following stitch, three^hain, 
three double chain on the fourth following, two chain, 
three double chain on the next stitch. 

3rd row : Two chain, six double, the middle two of 
which are separated by two chain, on the two chain be- 
tween six double chain on preceding row, three chain, 
one single crochet on single crochet of preceding row, 
three chain, six double, the middle two of which are 
separated by two chain on the next two chain between 
six double two chain, one double on middle of next five 
chain. 

4th row: Five chain, six double, separated by two 
chain as in preceding row, on the next two chain between 
six double, seven chain, six double as before on the next 
two chain between six double chain. 

5th row: Three chain, six double as before on the next 
two chain of preceding row, three chain, one single 
crochet on tlie middle of next seven chain, three chain, 
six double as before on the next two chain between six 
double, two chain, one double on the middle oi' next five 
chain. 

Gth row: Five chain, six double as before on the next 
two chain between six double, three chain, one single 
crochet on the next single crochet, three chain, six 



244 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

double as before ou the next two, one chain, seven 
double separated each bj one chain on the next three 
chain, one chain, one single on the chain before the next 
six double at the beginning* of third row. 

7th row: Six times alternately five chain, one single 
crochet on the next chain between two double in the 
preceding row; then five chain, one single on the chain 
before the next six double, two chain, six double as be- 
fore on the next two chain, seven chain, six double as 
before on the next two chain, two chain, one double on 
the middle of the next five chain. 

Continue the pattern in the manner of the last four 
rounds, observing, howevei', that the pattern figure of 
the open work middle strip only comprises three rounds, 
while the other part of the edging requires four rounds. 

It will be an easy matter to make this i>attern deeper 
hj repeating the shells and open strix). 



KNITTING. 



It is almost impossible so to describe the way in wliicli 
the knitting- stitch is formed as to enable the worker to 
teach herself, and fortunately it is almost as needless as 
it is diflficult. Everyone has a friend who, in a few 
minutes will teach the first steps in this fascinating- 
occupation. 

There are two ways of knitting-, known respectively as 
German or English knitting. The difference lies merely 
in the manner of holding the thread. The German is by 
far the easier, and enables one to knit more quickly and 
evenly, while, at the same time, it is far less fatiguing 
than the English method. 

To KNIT IN THE GERMAN WAY you must hold your yarn 
or thread as if for crochet, and form the stiich by put- 
ting your right hand needle through the first stitch On 
the needle, catch up the thread, which is held in place 
on the left fore finger and draw it through the stitch. 
In order to seam or purl, put the thread over the needle 
in the left hand; put the right hand needle back of the 
thread, and into the stitch from the outside; catch the 
thread X)u the right hand needle and draw through. 

Decreasing is done by knitting two stitches together, 
or else by slipping a stitcli, that is, taking- it off the 
needle without knitting, and knitting- a stitch, and slip- 
\nng the unknitted stitch over the last knitted one. 
Sometimes two stitches are decreased at once, bv slip- 

245 



246 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

ping one, knitting two together, and slipping tlie un- 
knitted stitch over the two kuit together. 

Increasing, or making a stitch is done by throwing the 
thread once round the needle, and in the next row knit- 
ting it as an ordinarj^ stitch. 

To KNIT A ROUND, knit with four needles, cast on— let 
us say, twenty-two stitches on the first needle, insert a 
second needle in the last stitch of the first, and cast on 
twenty stitches; proceed in the same way with a third 
needle, casting on eighteen only; then knit the two 
extra stitches on the first needle on to the last — this 
makes twenty stitches upon each needle, and thus com- 
pletes the circle. 

To CAST OFF, knit two stitches and with the left hand 
needle slip the first stitch over the second; continue to 
the end of the row. 

Picking up a stitch is done by taking up a thread, 
and knitting it as a stitch. 

The following abbreviations are those p;euerall5^ used 
in directions for knitting. 

- Knit one plain. 

Purl or seam. 

Increase or make one. 

Decrease one. 

- Slip one. 

Knit two together, 
or Tho - Throw thread over. 
- -Twisted knitted stitch. 
T P ., . - Twisted purl knitted. 
A star shows where a repeat of the pattern is begun. 
Garter stitch is plain knitting back and forth; many 
pretty afghaus are knit in this way, in long strips, the 
strips being afterwards crocheted together. A very 
pretty one can be made of double zephyr wool, four of 
the strips being an olive green, and three knit in Roman 
stripes. The stripes are joined with black and yellow 



K 


1 




P 




- 


M 


1 




D 


1 


- 


SI 


1 




K 


2 


t 


T T 





T 


K 





AND SOW TO USE TEEM. ^7 

MTOol. The plain strips are forty stitches, the Roman 
ones fifty stitches wide. It is tinisbed at either end 
by a fringe of the different colors used in the several 
stripes. For the Roman stripe, begin with * eighteen 
rows of red, one of white, one of red, oue of yellow, one 
of blue, oue of red, one of blue, one of white, eighteen of 
blue, oue of white, one of red, one of yellow, one of blue, 
oue of red, oue of blue, one of white, eighteen of bhick, 
one of white, one of red, one of yellow, one of blue, one 
of red, one of white, one of blue, eighteen of white, oue 
of blue, oue of white, one of red, oue of yellow, one of 
blue, one of red, one of white, repeat from *. 

A very comfortable and substantial shawl is a square 
kuit in garter stitch, and bordered with one of the knit 
edgiugs given a little further on. Germantown wool is 
very nice for this purpose. 

Brioche is an extremely pretty and useful stitch. It 
is very elastic, and looks the same on both sides. 

Cast on any even number of stitches, and with two 
needles work backward and forward as follows: 

1st row: Over (at the edge this is done by simply 
putting the right hand needle under the wool), slip one, 
as if about to purl it, knit one. Repeat from the begin- 
ning. 

2ud row : Over, slip one, as if about to purl, knit two 
together. Repeat. 

Every subsequent row is like the second. In casting 
off, look upon the double stitch— the two usually knit 
together — as one. In narrowing in this pattern, knit 
together the three stitches — the slipped stitch and the 
double stitch — which form one rib, and on the next row 
knit the stitch thus made with the double stitch preced- 
ing it. 

German brioche is another form of this stitch. In 
knitting it, cast on any number of stitches in threes. 
All the rows are kuit thus: Slip one, as if about to purl 



248 NEEDLBa AND BRtiattES 

over, knit two together. The over or made stitch must 
always be slipped and the decreased stitch and the slip- 
ped stitch of the previous row knitted together. 

SOFA CUSHION. 

A pretty sofa cushion or hassock is knit in German 
Brioche as follows: 

Three skeins yellow, two white, three red, three 
purple, tliree green, six gray, of double Berlin wool. 
Needles, No. 5. 

Cast on sixty-four stitches with yellow. 

1st row: Wool forward; slip one, knit one. 

2nd row: Join the white. The remainder is all 
brioche stitch; do two rows, then two yellow rows. 

Join the gray; knit eighteen brioche (this is really 
fifty-four stitches), leaving fourteen on the other un- 
kuitted. Turn back and knit four brioche; turn again 
and knit five brioche; turn and knit six. Continue tak- 
ing three more stitches every time you turn, until you 
come to the end of your needles. Then do another yel- 
low and white stripe. 

Join the scarlet, and work as before. There have to be 
eighteen sections altogether, a gray one separating each 
oright-colored one. Make a round cushion filled with 
feathers or curled hair, and put the knitting over, sewing 
it neatly together. Draw in the centre, which may be 
finished off with an ornamental button; sew a silk cord 
round the edge. 

RUGS 

Very handsome hearth rugs may be knit either of rags 
cut and sewed as for rag carpets, and knit in garter 
stitch, or else of twine with bits of cloth, strands of thick 
Smyrna wool, or ravelings of tapestry Brussels carpet 
looped in. These rugs are much more easily managed if 
knit in strips or blocks and afterwards sewed together. 
They may be made oblong, oval, or round as suits one's 
taste. The colors may be arranged so as to form a sort 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 249 

of pattern. Thus, in one rug in my own possession, the 
centre is a small oblong piece of about twice as long as 
it is wide. This is bordered by a strip of dark green, 
again surrounded by a stripe of red and black mixed, 
and all bordered with a narrow edge of black. In an. 
other, the centre is a small square of what is commonly 
called in "hit or miss " pattern, blue, yellow, red and 
black being the predominating colors. Around this is a 
piece knit in gray and white inch wide stripes which is 
sewed round the square piece in such a way as to give 
a circular shape to the mat. The edge next to the 
square is slightly gathered in. Next comes a gray 
border, and then a piece of Eomau stripe in which the 
colors used in the centre are employed. In this rug 
both cotton and woolen rags are used, but of course it 
would be much handsomer made entirely of woolen 
pieces. 




Fig. ]'iO. 



Still another was knit in one piece about three-quart 
ers of a yard wide and of a proportionate length. It 
was knit in "hit or miss" fashion, a great deal of black 
being used and the colored pieces being very bright and 



25U NEEDLES AH J) BUUISHES 

decided iu color. It was finished by a fringe of worsted 
tied into either end, and the effect was quite oriental. 

Figures 120 and 120a give the pattern and manner of 
knitting another kind of rug. The one illustrated is 
knit of heavy Smyrna wool and is in a set i)attern, but a 
very pretty effect is produced by using the colors so as 




Fig. ]20a. 

to produce a kaleidoscopic effect for the centre, then 
bordering with a stripe of solid color. By a judicious 
i^noice of colors, such as Pompeii an red, two shades of 
peacock blue, two ot olive ana dark wood brown, a good 
imitaiion oi a Turkey rug may be obtained. 

In Riiitting this rug, coarse unbleached knitting cotton 
and coarse steel knitting needles are used. The wools 
must be cut into equal lengths, about two inches. A 
good plan is to wind them on a mesh and then cut one 
side with a sharp knife. < 

The fouudation is knit in plain garter stitch, and like 
the rugs described above are more easily managed in 
strips or blocks, which are afterwards sewn together. 
To knit in the wool, lay the end of the wool between the 
last knitted stitch, and the one about to be begun, so 
that the shorter half is in front; a stitch is then knitted 
off, auJ the hind end of the wool put in front, holding 
thrs firm at the same time with the fresh laid in one, 
with the thumb of the left hand. 

After knitting a row of loops iu, knit one row perfectly 
plain, and then knit in another row of loops, and so on 
to the end of the strip. In knitting these strips, always 
slip the first stitch and knit the last of every row with- 



AND HOW Ho XJSE THEM. 



251 



ont putting" in a piece of wool. Pieces of woolen cloth 
may be used instead of the Smyrna wool. Tapestry 
Brussels, carpeting cut into strips of uniform width and 
then raveled out also furnish nice material for these rugs. 
If a whole rug seems too great an undertaking, a 
centre of handsome carpeting (remnants of which can be 
procured at a low price iu the city stores), edged with 




Fig. 121. 

a wide knit border, is very pretty. These rugs should 
be lined with old carpeting, gray linen, or hemp carpet. 

QUILTS. 

^ig. 121 is an extremely pretty quilt which has 



252 NEEDLES And BR usees 

also the advautage of being very simple. The pattern will 
be best imderstood by a reference to the border. The 
centre of the quilt is knit in squares which are so knit 
as to cause the pattern to ran diagonally across them. 

Cast on one stitch, and knit nine rows of plain garter 
stitch, always throwing the thread round the needle at 
the beginning of each row. 

When you have ten stitches on your needle, which 
should be at the end of the ninth row, proceed as 
follows: 

10th row; M 1, P 4, M 1, K 1, M 1, P 5. . 

11th row: M 1, knit plain all the stitches till you come 
to the first made stitch in the last row, purl three, knit 
plain to the end of the row. 

12th row: M 1, purl all the stitches until you come to 
those purled in the last row. M 1, K 3, M 1, purl to the 
end of the row. 

13th row: M 1, K all the stitches to the raised pattern, 
purl Ave, K to the end of the row. 

14th row: M 1, purl to the raised pattern, M 1, K 1, 
slip one, knit two together and pass the slipped stitch 
over them. K 1, M 1, purl to end of row. 

15th row; M 1, K to raised pattern, purl five, K to end 
of row. 

Repeat fourteenth and fifteenth rows six times more. 

Then M 1, P to raised pattern, K 1, S 1, knit two to- 
gether, draw slipped stitch over these, K 1; P to end of 
row. 

In the next row, M 1, knit to pattern, P 3, knit to end 
of row. 

To finish the raised pattern, knit the three stitches 
together. The other stitches of this row are purled. 

This finishes one stripe of the square. Now knit as 
follows: 
a 

Istrow: Ml,P.j ... - 



AND BOW TO USE TEEM. 253 

2iid row: M 1, K. 

3rd row: M 1, P. 

4tli row: M 1, purl. 

5tli row: M 1, knit plain. 

6tli row: M 1, purl. 

7tli row: M 1, purl. 

8tli row: M 1, knit plain. 

9th row: M 1, purl, 
a 1 

The 10th row begins the pique pattern. 

1st row: M 1, P 1, S 1, letting- the thread lie in front 
of the slipped stitch. 

2nd row: M 1, P throughout. 

Kepeat these three rows five times, but beginning the 
alternate rows on the right side of the work with a slii^ 
stitch after the made one, and then a purl stitch, which 
will give the honeycomb appearance in the pattern. 

Repeat the rows a-a, and begin the second stripe of 
raised iiatterns. The row beginning this stripe should 
have sixty stitches, and has nine leaf patterns. Begin 
the first leaf pattern after the third purled stitch in the 
row. 

Having knit this stripe, repeat from a-a; then repeat 
the pique stripe; repeat from a-a; begin the third leaf 
row: 

When there are 122 stitches on the needles, begin to 
decrease so as to form the other side of the square. 
After the made stitch in each row, knit two together, 
and knit two together before the last stitch. 

Throughout the square, never neglect the made stitch 
at the" beginning of every row. 

The central part of the border is knit after the same 
pattern, only omitting the made stitch at the beginning 
of the rows. This border is edged on the one side with 
an open work pattern and on the other with a narrow 
lace. For the open work, cast on four extra stitches 



2^ NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

(the border takes twenty-nine), and for the lace cast on 
seven extra. 
For the open edge, knit the four stitches at one side 




Fig. 121fi. 

of the border always thus: K 2, M 1. T 2. Always slip 
the first stitch of the row. 
Knit the lace thus: 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



265 



1st row: S 1, K 4, M 1, T. 

2iid row: K 2, M 1, T, M 1, T, K 1. 

3rd row: S 1, K 1, then K 1 and P 1 out of the made 
stitch, K 2, M 1, T. 

4th row: K 2, M 1, T, K 4. 

5th row: S 1, K 5, M 1, T. 

6th row: K 2, M 1, T, M 1, T, M 1, T, K 1, K 2. 

7th row: S 1, K 1, then K 1 and P 1 out of the made 
stitch, K 1, again K 1 and P 1 out of the made stitch, 
K 2, M 1, T. 

8th row: K 2, M 1, T, K 7. 

9th row: S 1, K 8, M 1, T. 

10th row : K 2, M 1, T, M 1, T, M 1, T, M 1, T, K 1. 

11th row: S 1, K 1, then K 1, and P 1 out of the made 
stitch, again K 1 and P 1 out of the made stitch, P 2, M 
1,T. 

12th row: K 2, M 1, T, K 10. 




FiK. 1-J 



13th row: Seven times one stitch is always to be cast 
off. K4, M 1, T. This leaves seven ^stitches on the 
needle. Repeat from second row. 



256 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

This lace makes very pretty edging knit in linen 
thread, with moderately coarse needles. 

Fig. 122 as seen in the illustration, is knit in blocks, 
six segments being required for each block. 

Cast on forty-one stitches. 

1st row: Slip first stitch, purl eighteen, put your 
needle in at the back of next stitch, slip it off without 
knitting, knit next two together, putting in the needle 
at the back (T. B. hereafter will be used to designate 
knitting two together in at the back of the stitch), put 
the slipped stitch over the one just knitted, i^url nine- 
teen. 

2nd row: Knit plain. The first stitch of each row 
should be slipped. 

3rd row : Knit two, * make one, T B, repeat to the 
middle, take in three at the back, repeat to the end of 
the row, knitting the last two stitches i)laiu. 

4th row: Knit plain. 

5th row: Knit two, make one, T B * knit two, purl 
two, repeat from * to the middle, take in three at the 
back, knit to the end in the opposite direction, so that 
the last six stitches will be knit thus — knit two, make 
one, T B, knit two. 

6th row: Knit four, then alternately purl two, and 
knit two plain the last four stitches, which are knit alike 
at the end of every row, viz., make one, T B, knit two. 

Bepeat these last two rows, until all the ribbed knit- 
ting is narrowed off to a single stitch, after which knit 
plain, always remembering to take in three stitches at 
the back in every alternate row^ 

Figure 123 shows how these sections are put together. 
A few long stitches are worked with a needle iit the 
centre. 

When the blocks fire all knitted, they are sewed to. 
gether, half blocks being used down the sides, so as to 
form a straight edge. If preferred, the ends can be 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 257 

tinished in the same way, and a border of cable or other 
fancy knitting put around. Or the ends may be finished 
off in points, using- whole blocks for the purpose, and the 
following border may be used. 




Fig. 123. 

{ This border must be knit in pieces just fitting each 
point. Cast on eight stitches. In the first and every 
alternate row, three stitches must be knit together at the 
back, in the middle of the row. In order to keep tlie 
same number of stitches on the needles, one must be 
made at the beginning of each row. Knit as follows; 

1st row : Slip one,"^ TB, drop the next foundation stitch 
oft' the needle, throw your thread over twice, repeat from 
* to the end of the row, knitting the last stitch, and not 
forgetting^ the narrowing in the middle. 

2nd row: Knit plain, always putting your needle in 
at the back of the second made stitch. 

* 3rd row: Purl, making one stitch at the beginning or 
the row, and knitting three together at the back, in the 
middle of the row. 



258 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

4th row: Kuit plain. 

Sill row: Like thirtl. 

6th row: Like fourth. 

7th row: Knit plain, increasing at beginning of the 
row, and narrowing three stitches in the middle. 

8th row : Purl. 

9th row: Like seventh. 

10th row: Like eighth. 

Eepeat from * until the border is deep enough, then 
tie a fringe in after one of the patterns given under 
"Macrame Lace." 

ANOTHER QUILT. 

This quilt is knit in strips and sewn together. The 
pattern would also form a good border for a quilt knit 
in squares or shells. 

Cast on seventy -three stitches. Always slip the first 
Btitch on each row. 

1st row: Knit plain. 

2nd row: Purl. 

3rd row: Slii) first stitch (as in every row), * knit two 
together, six plain, thread over, knit one, thread over, 
knit one, knit six, knit two together, knit two together, 
knit six, thread over, knit one. 

Eepeat from * twice, making three herring bones, then 
knit six, thread over, knit one, thread over, knit one, 
knit five, knit two together, knit one. 

Repeat until your piece of knitting is long enough for 
your quilt. 

CABLE KNITTING. 

Cast on eighteen stitches for a stripe, thus for six 
plain stitches on each side of the cable, for two patterns 
tljirty stitches will be required, and so on. 

1st row: Purl six, kuit six, and purl six. 

2nd row: Knit six, purl six, nit six. 

3rd row: Like first row. 

4th row: Like second row. 

5th row: Like third row. , i 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 259 

6th row: Knit six, take a tliird needle and pail 
three; with the first right-hand needle purl the next 
three stitches, and iuit six. 

7th row: Purl six, knit the three stitches on the third 
or additional needle, knit the three stitches on the left- 
hand needle, purl six. 

8-th row: Like second row. 

Commence again, as at first row. 

It is always well to cast on several stitches each side 
of the number needed for the pattern; these stitches can 
be knit in some fancy pattern or in plain garter stitch. 

The following is a i^retty stitch to edge the cable 
pattern with: 

Cast on six for each pattern, and two over, so as to 
have one stitch knitted plain on either side. 

1st row: Throw the thread over, purl one, purl two 
together, repeat. 

2nd and 4th rows: Purl. 

1 EDGINGS. 

The following edgings can be knit either in cotton or 
linen thread. Knit with thread on rather coarse needles, 
they are very lace like in effect and make extremely 
pretty trimmings. 

VANDYKE BORDER. 

Cast on seven stitches. Knit two rows, plain. 

3rd row : Slip one, knit two, bring the thread for- 
ward, knit two together; bring the thread forward twice, 
knit two together. 

4th row: Bring the thread forward, knit two, purl one 
knit two, bring thread forward, knit two together, knit 
one. 

5th row: Slip one, knit two, bring the thread forward, 
knit^two together, knit four. 

6th row : Knit six, bring thread forward, knit two to- 
gether, knit one. 

7th row; Slip one, knit two, bring thread forward, knit 



260 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

two together, briog thread forward twice, knit two to- 
gether, briug thread forward twice, knit two together. 

8th row: Knit two, purl one, knit two, purl one, knit 
two, bring thread forward, knit two together, knit one. 

9th row: Slip one, knit two, bring thread forward, knit 
two together, briug thread forward twice, knit two to- 
gether, bring thread forward twice, knit two together, 
bring thread forward twice, knit two together. 

10th row: Knit two, purl one, knit two, purl one, knit 
two, purl one, knit two, bring thread forward, knit two 
together, knit one. 

11th row: Slip one, knit two, bring thread forward, 
knit two together, knit nine. 

12th row: Cast oft" all but seven, knit four, bring 
thread forward, knit two together, knit one. 

This finishes the first pattern. Repeat, begiajiing at 
the third row. 

KNITTED LACE. 

Cast on twelve stitches with fine cotton or thread. 

1st row: Slij) one, knit two, purl one; knit two to- 
gether; turn the thread once round the needle, knit two, 
purl one, knit one; turn the thread once round the 
needle, knit two, taken together at the back. 

2nd row: Slip one, knit one; turn the thread twice 
round the needle, knit two, purl two together; turn the 
thread once round the needle, knit one, purl two to- 
gether; turn the thread twice round the needle, inirl 
two together, knit one. 

3rd row: Slip one, knit two, purl one, knit two; turn 
the thread once round the needle, kuit two together, 
taken at the back, knit one, knit two together, knit 
three. 

4th row: Slip one, turn the thread once round the 
needle, purl one, knit two together; turn the thread 
once round the needle, knit four, jnwl two together; 



AND HOW TO USB THEM. 261 

turn the thread twice round the needle, purl two to- 
gether, knit one. 

5th row: Slip one, knit two, purl one, knit two, knit 
two together; turn the thread :wice round the needle, 
knit three, purl two together, kn: ' one. 

6th row: Slip one, kni' one, pass the slip stitch over 
it, slip one, knit one, pass the slip stitch over it; slip 
one, kuit one, pass the slip stitch over it; slip one, knit 
two; turn tbe thread once round the needle, purl two 
together; kuit one, turn the thread twice round the 
needle, i^url two together, kuit one. 

EDGING. 




Fig. 124. 

Cast on seven stitches. 

1st row. Slip one, knit two, make one, knit two to- 
gether at the back, make two, knit two. 

2nd row : Slip one, kuit oue, knit oue and purl one in 
the made^stitch ; kuit two, make one, kuit two together 
at the back, kuit one. 

3rd row : Slip one, knit two, make one, knit two to- 
gether at the back, knit four. 

4th row: Cast olf two, knit three, make one, knit two 
together at the back, knit one. 

KNITTED CUFF AND COLLAR. 

For tbe knitted lace shown in No. 126, cast on nineteen 
stitches. 

1st row: Slip one, knit two, make one, knit two to- 
gether, knit one, make one, knit two together, knit three, 
knit two together, make one, knit one, knit two together, 
make one, knit three. 



262 Needles and brushes 

2nd row; Kuit tliree, make one, kuit one, knit two 
together, knit one, make one, knit two together twice, 
kuit one, make one, knit one, knit two together, make 
one, kuit one, knit two together, knit one. 




Fig. 125. 

3r(I row: Slip one, knit two together, knit one, make 
one, knit two together, knit one, make one, kuit three 
together, make one, knit one, knit two together, make 
one, knit five. 

4th row: Knit six, make one, knit two together, knit 
one, make one, knit one, make one, kuit one, kuit two 
together, make one, knit one, knit two together, kuit one. 

5th row: Slip one, kuit two together, knit oue, make 
one, knit two together, kuit one, make one, knit oue, make 
one, kuit one, kuit two together, make oue, kuit seven. 

6th row: Kuit eight, make one, knit two together, 
kuit three, knit two together, make one, kuit oue, kuit 
two together, kuit oue. 

7th row: Slip one, knit two together, make one, knit 
one, kuit two together, kuit one, kuit two together, kuit 
oue, make one, kuit two together, kuit six. 

8th row: Kuit five, knit two together, make one, knit 
one, knit two together, knit one, knit two together, kuit 
one, make one, knit two. 

9th row: Slip one, knit one, make one, knit one, knit 
two together, make OTie, knit one, make one, unit two 



AND HOW TO USE TEEM 



263 



together, knit one, make one, knit two together, knit 
four. 




Fig. 126. 

10th row: Knit three, knit two together, make one, 
knit one, knit two together, make one, knit three, make 
one, knit two together, knit one, make one, knit two. 

11th row: Slip one, knit one, make one, knit one, knit 
two together, make one, knit five, make one, knit two 
together, knit one, make one, knit two togetlier, knit 
two. 

12th row: Knit one, knit two together, make one, knit 
one, knit two together, make one, knit one, knit two to- 
gether^ pass the cotton twice round the pin, knit two 
together, knit two, make one, knit two together, knit one, 
make one, knit two. 

13th row: Slip one, knit two, make one, knit two to- 
gether, knit oue,'make one, knit two together, knit one, 
knit one and purl one in the made stitches, knit two to- 



264 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

gether, make one, knit one, knit two together, make one, 
knit three. 

Repeat from the second row three times more, then 
cast on thirteen stitches for the top of collar. 

1st row: Knit one, slip one, make one, slip one, knit 
two together, pass the slipped stitch over the two knitted 
together, make one, knit three, make one, slip one, knit 
two together, pass the slip stitch over two knitted to- 
gether, make one, knit two, continne the second row of 
edge. 

2iid row: Commence with the third row of edge, then 
kuit two, iini'l nine, knit two. 

3i'd row: Kuit one, slip one, knit three, make one, slip 
oue, knit two together, pass the slip stitch over the two 
knitted together, make one, knit five, continue with the 
fourth row of edge. 

4th row: Commence with the tiftli row of edge, then 
knit two, purl nine, knit two. 

Continue from first row of top with the sixth row of 
edge, then the second row of top with the sej'enth row 
of edge, and so on, till you have worked the length 
required of the band, wheu yon cast off thirteen stitches 
and continue the lace for the other side. 

KNITTED DAP. 

Materials: Strutt's knitting-cotton, ^o. 12; steel 
pins, No. 14. 

For the foundation (see Figure 127) cast on eighty-five 
stitches, and one over for the slipped stitch. 

1st row: Slip one, * make one, knit two together, kuit 
seven, knit two together, make one, knit one. Repeat 
from * . 

2nd row: Sli]) one as if for purling, purl one, * make 
one, purl two together, purl five, purl two together, 
make one, purl three. Repeat from * . End with make 
one, purl two. 



AND HOW TO t'SF! THEM 



265 



3rd row: Slip oue, knit two, ^' make oue, knit two 
together, knit three, knit two together, make oue, kuit 
five. Bepeat from *, End with make one, knit three. 




Fiff. 127. 



4th row: Slip one as if for purling, purl three, * make 
one, purl two together, purl oue, purl two together, make 
one, purl seven. Repeat from *. End with make one, 
I)url four. 

Kow repeat from first row. The top and bottom are 
drawn in to the shape. 

For the lace trimming (Figure 128), cast on as many 
stitches as there are round the cap, allowing a few over 
for sewing on — about 216. The pattern is divisible by 
six. 

1st row: * Knit five, drop the next stitch on the left 



266 



NEEDLES AND DRlTSltm 



needle, pick up tbe back oue, and put it on the right- 
hand needle. Repeat from *. 
2nd row: Purl. 




Fig. 128. 



3rd row: Knit one, * take off two stitches as if you 
were going to knit them together, take the under one on 
to the left pin, knit it together with the next stitch on 
the left pin, pass the second stitch on the right needle 
over the last, knit one, make oue, knit one, make one, 
knit one. Eepeat from *. 

4th row: Purl. 

5tli row: * Take off two stitches, and work as before 
described in third row, make one, knit three, make one. 
Eepeat from * . 

6th row: Purl. 

7th row: * Knit two together, make one, knit four. 
Eepeat from *. 

8th row: Purl. 

9th row: Knit. 

10th row : Purl. 

11th row: Knit two together, * make one, knit two 
together. Eepeat from *. 



AND HOW TO USE TEEM. 261 

12th row: Slip one, knit two together, * make one, 
knit two togeher. Kepeat from *. Cast off'. On top 
of this row, crochet as follows:— One quadruple treble 
in the first stitch, one chain, pass over one. Eepeat. 

Sew on to cap. A ribbon is run through the treble 
row, and finished with a bow at the top and bottom of 
ca-p. 

KNITTED LACE. 

Cast on fourteen stitches. 

Knit one plain row: 

1st row: Slip two, knit two, make one, knit two to- 
gether at the back, knit one, make one, knit two 
together at the back, slip five, pass the fourth over 
the fifth, third over the fourth, second over the third, 
slip two off the right-hand needle on to the left, make 
three, knit two together. 

2iid row: Make one, knit one, purl one, knit one, 
l^url one in the three made stitches, knit two,' make 
one, knit two together at the back, kuit one, make one, 
knit two together at the back, purl two. 

3rd row: Slip two, knit two, make one, knit two 
together at tlic back, knit one, make one, knit two 
together at the back, knit five. 

4th row: Make one, knit two together at the back, 
knit five, make one, knit two together at the back, knit 
one, make one, knit two together at the back, purl two. 

5th row : The same as Srd vow. 

6th row: The i^ame as 4tli row. 

Tth row: Tlie same iis 3rd row, 

8th row : The same as 4th row. 

9th row: The same as 3rd row. 

10th row: The same as 4th row. 

11th row: The same as 3rd row. 

12th row: The same as 4th row. 

Repeat from first row. 



268 NEEDLES AND BBUSHES 

KNITTED LA.C1E. 




Fig. 129. 

Cast on twenty-one stitclies, and knit a plain row. 

1st low: Slip two^ knit two, make one, knit two to- 
gether at the back, make two, pnrl two together, slip 
two, knit one, pass three stitches separately on the right 
hand needle over the last stitch on the right hand 
needle, make two, pnrl two together, slip two, knit one, 
pass the three stitches over as hefore, make two, pnrl 
two together, slip two, knit one, pass tlie three stitches 
as before. 

2ud row: Slip one, * knit one, pnrl one, knit one, pnrl 
one (the last fonr stitclies are worked in the two made 
stitches of the previons row), knit one, rei)eat from * , 
knit one, repeat from first * , knit two, make one, knit 
two together at the back, pnrl two. 

3rd row: Slip two, knit two, make one, knit two to- 
gether at the back, knit fifteen. 

4th row: Slip one, knit sixteen, make one, knit two 
together at the back, pnrl two. 

5th row: The same as third. 

6th row: The same as fourth. 

Repeat from first pattern row. 



AliD HOW TO USE THEM. 269 

NECKERCHIEF AND HEAD-DRESS. 

The design is shown folded over as a neckerchief in 
Figure 130. Either of the trimmings shown in Nos. 131 
and 132 is suitable for it. 




Fig. 130. 



It may be made in white or colored Lady Betty, or in 
Shetland wool; with pins, 'No. 9 (bell gauge). 

For the foundatiou, in plain knitting, cast on twelve 
stitches, increase one at the beginning and end of each 
row by knitting and purling the second stitch from the 
end; when you have oue hundred stitches on the needle 
decrease to twelve agaiu by knitting two together at the 
beginning and end of each row. 

This completes the foundation. 

For lace Xo. 131 cast on eighteen stitches. 

1st row: Slip one as if for purling, slip one, knit one, 
pass the slipped stitch over, make one, slip one, knit 
one, i>ass the slipped stitch over, knit three, slip one, 
knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, make one, slip 
one, knit one, i)ass the slipped stitch over, knit oue, 
X)ass the second stitch on the right-hand needle over it, 
make one, slip one, knit one, j^ass the slipped stitch 
over, knit oue. 



270 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



2ad row : Slip oue, knit three, purl one in the same 
made stitch, knit one, knit one, purl one in the made 
stitch, knit five, knit one, purl one in the made stitch, 
knit two. 




Fig. 131. 



3rd and 4th rows: Plain knitting. 

5th row: Slip one as if for purling, slip one, knit one, 
pass the slipped stitch over, make oue, slip one, knit 
oue, pass the slipped stitch over, knit two, slip one, knit 
one, pass the slipped stitch over, make oue, slip one, 
kuit oue, pass the slipped stitch over, knit one, slip 
one, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, make one, knit 
three. 

6th row: Slip oue, kuit two, kuit oue, purl one in the 
made stitch, kuit three, kuit one, purl oue in the made 
stitch, kuit four, kuit oue, purl oue in the made stitch, 
kuit two. 

7th and 8th rows: Plain knitting. 

9th row: Slip oue as if for purling, slip one, knit one, 
pass the slipped stitch over, make oue, slip one, knit 
one, pass the slipped stitch over, knit one, slip oue, kuit 
oue, pass the slipped stitch over, make oue, slip one, knit 
oue, pass the slipped stitch over, kuit three, slip one, 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. Til 

knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, make one, knit 
three. 

10th row: Slip one, knit two, knit one, purl one in the 
made stitch, knit five, knit one, x^url one in the made 
stitch, knit three, knit one, purl one in the made stitch, 
knit two. 

11th and 12th rows: Plain knitting-. 

13th row: Slip one as if for purling, slip one, knit one, 
pass the slipped stitch over, make one, slij) one, knit 
one, pass the slipped stitch over, knit two, slip one, knit 
one, pass the slipped stitch over, make one, slip one, 
knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, knit one, slip one, 
knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, make one, slip 
one, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, slip one, knit 
one, pass the slipped stitch over, knit one. 

14th row: Slip one as if for purling, knit two, knit 
one, purl one in the made stitch, knit three, knit one» 
purl one in the made stitch, knifc four, knit one, purl one 
in the made stitch, knit two. 

15th and 16th rows: Plain knitting. 

17th row: Slip one as if for purling, slip one, knit 
one, pass the slipped stitch over, make one, slip one* 
knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, knit three, slip 
one, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, make one, 
slip one, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, knit one, 
pass the second stitch on the right hand needle over it, 
make one, slip one, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, 
slip one, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, knit one. 

18th row: Slip one as if for purling, knit two, knit one, 
purl one in the made stitch, knit one, knit one, purl one 
in the made stitch, knit five, knit one, purl one in the 
made stitch, knit two. 

19th and 20th rows: Plain knitting. Eepeat from 5th 
row. Sew on to the foundation. 

For No. 132 cast on fifteen stitches. 

1st row: Slip one, knit eight, make one, knit two to- 



272 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

gether, make one, knit two together, make one, knit two 
together. 

2nd row; Knit plain, knitting and purling each made 
stitch. 




Fig. 132. 

3rd, 4th and 5th rows: Plain knitting. 
t)th row: Cast off three, knit the last plain. Repeat 
from first row. 

BABY'S SHIRT. 

The following is a very simple rule for a high-necked 
and long-sleeved shirt: 

Use two-threaded, all-wool. Saxony yarn; ivory or 
rubber needles of the ordinary size for such yarn. 

Cast on one hundred stitches; knit thirty -two rows 
plain ; this forms the shoulder. ' 

33rd row: Slip first stitch, knit two together, the rest 
plain. 

34th row: Plain. 

35th row : Slip one, knit two together, the rest plain. 

36th row: Plain. 

37th row: Slip one, knit two together, rest plain. 

38th row; Plain. 

39th row : Slip one, knit two together, rest plain. 

40th row: Plain. 

41st row: Slip one, knit two together, rest plain. 

42nd row: Plain. 



AND now TO USE TEEM. 216 

43rd row: Slip oue, knit two together, rest plain. 

44fch row: Plain. 

45th row^: Slip one, knit two together, rest plain. 

You have now^ narrowed seven times on oue edge; now 
knit fourteen rows plain. Bind off thirty-five stitches, 
then knit tliirt^'-five stitches on the same needle again. 
This leaves an opening for the front. Now knit fourteen 
rows plain; now widen one stitch at the beginning of 
every alternate needle (always slip first stitch until you 
have widened seven times) — you will then have one 
hundred stitches again. Knit thirty-tw^o rows plain and 
half the shirt is done. Bind ott* thirty-five stitches for 
armhole; make thirty-five stitches again, then proceed 
as for the front, only omitting the opening in front. Bind 
off all the stitches and sew edges together from the bot- 
tom, leaving thirty-five stitches open for the other arm 
hole. Sew the shoulders together. 

For Sleeve^^. Cast on forty stitches. Knit eighty- 
eight rows plain. Bind off all but eleven stitches. Knit 
these until a little square is formed; bind off. This 
makes a gusset for top of sleeve. Pick up the loops * 
on the lower edge of the sleeve on No. 15 steel needles. 
Knit a ribbed wrist (knit two, purl two) about one and 
one-half inches long. Sew ui) the sleeve, trimming the 
side of gusset to the straight side. Sew the point of 
gusset into lower notch of arm hole. 

Crochet a row of shells on bottom of shirt. Face one 
side of opening in front with narrow white ribbon, and 
sew on three buttons. For holes, crochet a looped edge 
on the other side and all around the neck ; also a row of 
shells around the neck. Euu a narrow ribbon in the 
holes round the neck. 

LOW NECKED BABY SHIRT. 

Cast on any number that can be divided by ten. 
1st row: Knit two together, knit two, thread forward, 
knit one, thread forward, knit three, knit tw^o together."" 



274 NEEDLES AND BRUSffES 

2nd row: Purl. 

3rd row: Plain knitting. Repeat from first row. 
This forms a scalloped pattern. Knit a piece several 
inches deep, then knit in ribs of two plain, two purl, 
until the shirt is the required length. 

These shirts are knit in two pieces, which are after- 
wards sewn together, leaving an ox^euing at tlie upper 
end for the armhole. 

When the knitting is of the required length, finish 
with a row of holes to within eight inches of one end. 
Cast off all but these eight inches, and knit them plain, 
carrying a row of holes along either edge, for a shoulder 
strap. (Holes are made by making a stitch and knitting 
the next two together. On the return row, knit plain. 

Having knit both pieces, sew up and finish with a row 
of shell stitch crocheted into the upper edge, and around 
the arm holes. If sleeves are desired, knit pieces of the 
requisite size in the scallop pattern and sew them in. 
Euu a narrow ribbon through the holes in the neck, and 
tie in a bow. 

BABY'S BOOT. 

A very simple pattern for a baby's boot is as follows: 
White Berlin and Needles No. 13. Cast on thirty; and 
knit twenty-four rows plain on in any fancy stitch you 
like, for the leg; for the last row *, knit two, wool over 
the needle, knit two together. Eepeat from *. This 
forms holes, into which ribbon must be run after the 
boot is finished. 

Twenty-fifth row: Prom this time forward you must 
knit one, purl one; reversed every third row, to make a 
kind of dice pattern. Cast on eleven extra stitches at the 
end of each of the next two rows, making fifty-two in all. 
Increase at the beginning of every row until there are 
sixty- two stitches; do four plain rows; then decrease 
in the same way till you have only fifty-two again. Take 



AND now TO USE THEM. 275 

off and sew up. Crochet a double scallop at top in blue 
wool, for a flnisli. 

KNITTED PURSE. 

One skein blue and one black of purse twist. 

Cast on seventy-two. Knit two together, make one, 
knit one. Eepeat. Second row plain. When broad 
enough double it and sew up, leaving about three inches 
open for the money to slip in. Finish off with steel rings 
and tassels. 

ANOTHER PURSE. 

One-half ounce E E Corticelli Purse Twist or one- 
half ounce No. 300 Florence Knitting Silk, and two Ko. 
18 needles. 

Cast on to one needle fifty-nine stitches, knit across 
once plain. 

2nd row : Purl two together, then repeat until only 
one stitch remains, knit one. 

3rd row and every two after until the sixty-fifth is 
reached, the same as the second. 

Kow do eighty-three rows of plain knitting (garter 
stitch), then knit sixty-four rows of the fancy pattern 
the same as at the beginning, knit one row plain and cast 
off. Sew up the edges, leaving an opening of two and 
one half inches. Finish with steel rings and tassels of 
steel beads. 

Many varieties of fancy patterns are formed by com- 
binations of knitted, purled, and slipped stitches; these 
patterns being useful in knitting shawls, tidies, stock- 
ings, etc. When used for round knitting, as in stockings, 
care must be taken to reverse the stitch in every 
alternate row, that is a plain stitch must be purled, a 
purled stitch plain. 

RAIN PATTERN. 

Fourteen stitches are required for each pattern. 

1st row: Knit one, thread forward, knit five, slip one, 



276 



NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 



knit two together, pass the slipped stitch over, knit five 
thread forward. Eepeat. This makes a scallop. 

BARLEY-CORN STITCH. 

This simple stitch is very suitable for borders, or to 
use as an edge for cable or i)lait knitting. 

Cast on any uneven number of stitches. 

Slip the first stitch, keeping the thread in front of the 
needle; turn the thread round the needle, so as to bring 
it in front again ; knit two together, taken in front. Con- 
tinue turning the thread round the needle and knitting 
two together to the end of the row. All the rows are 
alike. 

CRAVAT: KNITTING. 




Fig. 133. 

Berlin or Shetland wool, two pins Xo. 12 (bell gauge). 
Cast on thirty -one stitches, knit a plain row. 
1st row: Knit four, slip one, knit one, pass the slipped 
stitch over, make one, knit one, make one, slip one. 



AND EOW TO USE THEM. 277 

knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, repeat from the 
beginning of this row twice more; end with knit four. 

2ud row : Plain knitting. 

3rd row: The same as first. 

4th row: The same as second. 

5th row: The same as first. 

6th row: The same as second. 

7th row: Knit two togetlier, make two, knit two 
together, slip one, knit one, x)ass the slipped stitch over, 
make one, knit one, make one, slip one, knit one, pass 
the slipped stitch over; repeat twice more, end with knit 
two together, make two, knit two together. 

8th row: Knit all the row plain, with the exception of 
knit one, purl one, in the make two of last row. 

Repeat from first row until sufficiently long to tie. Sew 
round it a knitted lace, made as follows: 

Cast on ten stitches. 

1st row: Slip one, knit one, make one, slip one, knit 
one, pass the .slipped stitch over, slip one, knit one, pass 
tlie slipped stitch over, make two, slip one, knit one, 
pass the slipped stitcli over, make one, knit two. 

2iid row: Slip one, knit three, knit one, purl one in the 
made stitch, knit one, make one, slip one, knit one, pass 
the slipped stitch over, knit two. 

3rd row: Slip one, knit one, make one, slip one, knit 
one, pass the slipped stitch over, knit four, make one, 
knit one at the back, make one, knit two. 

4th row: Slip one, knit eight, make one, slip one, knit 
one, i^ass the slipped stitch over, knit two. 

5th row: Slip one, knit one, slip one, knit one, pass 
the slipped stitch over, knit three, make one, slip one, 
knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, make one, knit one 
at the back, make one, knit one at the back, make one, 
knit two. " 

6th row ; Cast off five, knit five, make one, slip one, 



278 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, knit two. Repeat 
from first row : 

SILK MITTENS. 

For a medium sized hand, wearing six and one half or 
six and three-quarters, cast on of three hundred knitting 
silk on ^0. 20 needles seventy-two stitches. 

1st row: * Purl one, knit one, purl one, knit one, over 
and knit one eight times. Eei^eat from * to end of third 
needle. 

2ud row: * Purl one, knit one, purl one, knit seven- 
teen. Repeat from * . 

3rd row: Purl one, knit one, purl one, slip one, knit 
one and throw slipped stitch over, knit thirteen, knit 
two together. Repeat from *. 

4th row: * Purl one, knit one, purl one, slip one, knit 
one and throw slipped stitch over, knit eleven, knit two 
together. Repeat from * . 

5th row: Purl one, knit one, purl one, slip one, knit 
one and throw slipped stitch over, knit nine, knit two 
together. Repeat from * . 

6th row: * Purl one, knit one, purl one, slip one, knit 
one and throw slipped over, knit seven, knit two to- 
gether. Repeat from * . 

This forms one row of shells. Repeat from first row 
until there are nine rows of shells for the wrist. Cany 
three rows of shells up the back of the hand, making the 
purl one, knit one, purl one on each side. To form the 
gore of the thumb widen about every fourth row until 
you have thirty-six stitches, making a purled stitch on 
each side of gore and leaving between the last purl 
stitch at side of shell and purl stitch at side of thumb 
three stitches. Shape off the thirty-six stitches for the 
thumb, cast on twelve for the hand and knit plain to the 
end of the little finger and commence narrowing. 

Reduce number of stitches in shells from nine to seven 



AND BOW TO USE THEM. 279 

and when near the top to five. To make the thumb, 
take up the thirty-six stitches, pick up the loops under 
the stitches cast one, and narrow in the corners to twelve 
stitches on a needle. Knit the required length and nar- 
row off. 

For a smaller size cast on sixty stitches and make each 
shell with seven instead of nine stitches. This pattern 
does equally well for Saxony yarn, and by some is cour 
sidered as pretty as silk. 

KNITTED UNDER-VEST FOE LADIES. 

The vest is commenced at the lower part. The numbei 
of stitches cast on must be regulated by the size of the 
liersou for whom the garment is intended with the pins 
and wool named ; when knitted moderately loose, eight 
stitches must be cast on for the inch, and ten rows 
knitted to the inch. 

For a vest measuring twenty- four inches round , about 
one hundred and ninety-two stitches must be cast on. 

First to twentieth rounds: Knit two and purl two 
alternately. Now commence the basket i)attern shown 
in the illustration. 
First to seventh rounds: Purl three, knit one. 
From the eighth to fourteenth rounds: Keverse the 
pattern by working a i)lain stitch in the centre of the 
three purl of previous seven rounds. These seven 
rounds are repeated alternately fourteen times more. 

Divide the stitches equally, leaving half the number 
for the back on one iDin. Let these remain without 
working them, until the fronts are knitted. Divide the 
stitches of the front equally on two pins, as each half 
must -now be worked separately. 

For the wrap-over: Cast on eight stitches on the 

buttonhole side; these must be knitted throughout. At 

equal distances make three buttonholes by knitting two, 

cast off four, and knit two. 

In the following row: Knit two, cast on four, and 



2B0 NEElbLWS AND BRUSHES 

knit two; these buttonholes must have ten plain rows 
between each. 

The fronts must now be knitted back and forward, 
taking care to keep the ribs by knitting the purl-stitches 
and i)urliug the knitted. 

Work fourteen rows of the basket i)atteru, then com- 
mence the gores; work twenty-four stitches next the 
armhole; commence the gore by picking up one looi) 
between the stitches and knitting it plain (the gores are 
plain knitting throughout); knit twelve stitches, con- 
tinuing the pattern, then begin the second gore; again 
knit twelve stitches. 

In the three following rows: Continue the pattern, 
and knit the stitches of the gores. 

In the fourth row: Increase a stitch by picking up 
one loop before and one after the made stitches for the 
gores aud knitting them; this increase is continued till 
you have the gores the required length. 

Cast off across the front, leaving twenty-four stitches 
for the shoulder; work as far as the top of shoulder, 
which you must judge the length of, by the size of arm- 
hole needed; cast off the twenty-four stitches. Work 
the second side of front in the same way, with the 
addition of the wraj) and buttonhole before described. 

Now eontinue the back as far as required till you have 
worked it from four to six rows higher than the front. 
Cast off all but the twenty-four stitches on each side; on 
these work the shoulders till long enough; join to front 
shoulders by sewing together. Pick up the stitches 
round the armhole on three pins. The gusset under the 
arm is formed by knitting two stitches together in every 
third round exactly in the centre of under part of sleeve. 
When the sleeve is the required width continue to work 
round without decrease for twenty-one rounds, then cast 
oft'. 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 281 

For the crochet edge,which is worked round the neck 
and sleeves: — 

1st row: One double into each stitch at the edge. 

2nd row: One treble into a stitch, one chain, pass 
over one stitch, and repeat from the beginning of the 
row. 

3rd row: One double imder one chaiu, four~chain, 
one double under same chain, three chain, pass over 
three stitches, and repeat from the beginning of the row. 

4th row: One treble under four chain, three chain, 
two trebles under four chain, three chain, two trebles 
under four chain, three chain, one treble under four 
chain, one double under three chain. Eepeat from the 
beginning of the row. 

A ribbon is run through the second row of the neck, 
and is tied in front in a bow. 

BIRD NEST MATS. 

Cut a circular piece of cardboard of the size desired 
for the mat; cover it with silk, silesia, or any approi)riate 
material of a color harmonizing with the worsted used 
for the border. Shaded green is the prettiest color for 
these mats. Cast on sufficient stitches to make five or 
six inches in knitting, and cut a number of pieces of 
wool into eight inch lengths. Knit as directed for 
Smjrna rug (page 250) until j'ou have a strip sufficiently 
long to go round the cardboard foundation. Cast off and 
comb out the knit in pieces until they are soft and fluffy. 
Sew one edge on to the foundation, letting the other 
edge stand up. Turn this inside and catch to the back 
of the knitting at a depth of two inches. 

FICELLE LACE FOR MANTEL. 

This is merely lace knit or crocheted from cord or 
twine. It is much used in the place of Macrame, being 
much more expeditiously made. In the chapter on 
crochet, some patterns are given for this work, but as 



282 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

some prefer knitting, I subjoin a simple pattern. Many 
of the lace i^atterns would look very iiretty in twine. 
Linen twine is the best, as it does not soil so quickly as 
fehe seine twine. • 

Cast on forty-three stitches. 

1st row: Knit four plain, then make one; knit two 
together, knit one plain, repeat this to the end of the 
row. 

2ud row: Make one, kmt two together, aud knit one, 
repeating till only four are left on the needle. Now 
take three strands of fringe (which consists of the twine 
cut in x)ieces twenty inches in length), lay them across 
the work between the needles, knit one stitch; bring 
the other end of the fringe over toward you; knit two 
stitches, then put it all back across the work together, 
and knit last stitch. 

3rd aud 5th row must be knitted like the first row; 
fourth and sixth like the second row. 

7th row: Knit plain. 

8th row: Purl, putting in fringe as before. 

9th row: Knit five plain, put your thread over your 
needle twice; then knit one, and repeat till the last 
stitch, which is knitted plain without jjutting the thread 
over the needle before it. 

10th row: Purl two, slipping off the thread that has 
been put twice over the needle. Take six stitches on 
your needle, slipping the thread off between. Cross the 
three back stitches over the front ones, then purl them 
all through. When there are nine stitches left on the 
needle, x^url five; then put in the fringe. 

11th row: Knit plain. 

12th row: Purl and i)ut in the fringe. 

Repeat from first row, until you have the necessary 
length. 

CHILD'S PETTICOAT. 

The number of stitches to be used for this child's 



AND HOW TO trsE THEM. 283 

petticoat will, of course, vary accordiug to the yarn and 
needles used. The model is knit in red and white 
doubled Shetland lambs's wool; it will take two ounces 
of red, and three of white wool. 

Cast on two hundred and sixteen stitches with the red 
wool. 

1st row: Purl. 

2nd row: Knit plain. 

3rd row: Purl. 

4th row: Knit plain. 

5th row: Slip one, knit two together, knit three, * 
make one, knit one, make one, knit three, knit two 
together, make one, knit two together, knit three, 
repeat from * to the end of the row. 

Sixth row: Purl. 

7th row: Like the fifth. 

8th row: Purl. 

9th row: Like the fifth. 

10th row: Purl. 

11th row: Like the fifth. 

12th row: Purl. 

13th row: Like the fifth. 

14th row : Join in the white wool, and purl the row. 

15th row: Purl. 

16th row: Knit plain. 

17th row: Purl. 

18th row: Purl. 

19th row: Knit plain. 

20th and following rows, alternately like the fifth and 
sixth a'ows, until thirteen rows of white have been knit- 
ted; then join on the red and repeat from the fourteenth. 
Eepeat these patterns until there are three patterns of 
red and two of white. Join on the white wool and knit 
forty-eight rows in brioche stitch ; in the first row take 
three stitches together at the end of the row. 

This petticoat is very pretty knit in pale blue German- 



28i NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

town wool. Oue himdred and fifty stitches will be suffi- 
cient then. By using- a greater number of stitches hand- 
some skirts can be knit for ladies' wear. Thej^ are more 
comfortable when set on a muslin yoke. They can be 
knit in two or more breadths and then sewed together. 

One of the greatest comforts to an old person or an 
invalid is a pair of bed -shoes, -ind they are so easj^ of 
execution that a child could knit a pair without any 
difficulty. They are knit of double zephyr on bone or 
wooden needles. Oast on thirty stitches, and knit two 
rows plain; then one row of holes made as follows: knit 
one, throw thread forward, knit two together, repeat to 
end of row. 

The succeeding work is all i)lain knitting (always slip- 
ping the first stitch) until you have a piece two fingers 
in length; knit another row of holes, two more of plain 
knitting, and cast oft'. Double the oblong piece thus 
obtained, sew up the ends, and run a piece of elastic 
through the holes long enough to fit round the foot from 
the heel over the instep. Finish with a bow of ribbon 
on one of the seams. These look odd until worn, but fit 
the foot delightfully, and are an untold comfort to any 
oue who suffers from cold feet. 

Double knitting is simple and very useful for cradle 
and crib blankets. To work it cast on the requisite 
number of stitches in wool (the kind deiiending on the 
warmth required; single zejihyr orGermautown are both 
useful), and knit four or five rows plain. Then knit four 
stitches plain, * bring the wool to the front, slip a stitch 
and pass the wool back, and knit the next stitch ; repeat 
from * to the last four stitclies, which are to be knit 
plain. For the next row knit the slipped stitch, and 
slip the knit one, always bringing the wool forward be- 
fore slipping the stitch, and returning it to the back of 
the work after so doing. If you knit tightly it is advis- 
able to wind your wpol twice roupd j;lie needle ia kuit- 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 285 

ting the stitches of the double part, but be careful not 
to increase the number of stitches. 

PATCHWORK. 

Patchwork is by no means without its literary associa- 
tions. Mary Scudder's attic boudoir, curtained ofif with 
patchwork quilts, has been pictured by Mrs.* Stowe's 
pleasant pen, and, in the same novel, Miss Prissy 's 
enthusiasm over a new quilting pattern is quite realistic 
to any who have attended the country sewing- societies 
of a few years ago, where " rising sun " and " basket " 
patterns were solemnly discussed. But the old fashioned 
patchwork quilts are " out, " and crazy quilts are " in, " 
so T give a few practical directions for this work. 

The first thing is to collect scraps of silk, satin> 
plush, velvet, etc. Very good i)ackages of silk may be 
bought at most of the large city stores, but you need not 
confine yourselves entirely to new pieces. Any scraps 
that are bright and fresh can be used. A good deal of 
black is desirable, and you should by all means have a 
varied assortment of colors. Soft shades, and neutral 
tints are very useful. Brocades are especially desirable. 
It is wise to begin with a small piece of work, such as a 
sofa-pillow or a border for a table-scarf, or a chair-seat, 
and thus save yourself from becoming discouraged by 
too great an undertaking. 

A band of patchwork can be inserted between two 
pieces of plain material, such as satin, velvet, plush or 
silk. Take a piece of thin muslin or cheese-cloth for a 
found-ation, and on this baste your pieces, turning in the 
edges as in log-cabin patchwork. If you wish your work 
to be artistic have a plan or motive in laying out your 
work. For instance, if you are making a band for a 
table-scarf, you can have a series of square or oblong 
tiles of a plain material, each one embroidered with a 



286 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

liaudsome design. Or you may have a uurnber of small 
round fans, the sticks beiu^ worked in heavy chain- 
stitch, and appropriate designs in outline can be worked 
(after you have all your pieces in place) on each fan. 
These should be arranged with as little stiffness as 
possible, and then the spaces between must be filled in 
with a mosaic of small pieces. Care must be taken to 
arrange the colors harmoniously, using neutral tints to 
separate violently contrasting hues. Having arranged 
all your pieces to your own satisfaction, the next stej) is 
to work all the seams with fancy stitches in various 
colors. All your odds and ends of embroidery silks will 
now be useful. Spangles, gold and silver thread, and 
flat gold braids are also used with good effect. Great 
attention must be paid to " keeping the balance true. " 
That is, the ornamentation must be evenly distributed, 
not massed in any one spot. The same thing is true of 
the colors, which should be so managed as to avoid any 
patchy effects. All sorts of fancy stitches can be used 
for working the seams. Brier, coral, buttonhole, and 
point russe stitches are the most common, but a clever 
worker can make up many ornamental ones to suit her 
own fancy. For instance, a wide row of herringbone of 
black silk can have a fan of three or five stitches of a 
bright color worked at each point. For another place, 
the herringbone can be of the color and the fans of 
black. Eailroad stitch is very pretty also; it is quickly 
worked. 

I recently saw a most beautiful quilt, a description of 
which may prove suggestive to some of my readers. The 
centre was a square of embroidered satin, the corners of 
which were cut off by the rounding edges of four large 
Japanese fans, of the folding kind. The mounts or up. 
per parts of these fans were made of alternate strips of 
two contrasting colors, black, I think, being one of these 
in all the fans. Across these a Japanesque floral pattern 



AND HOW TO USE THEM. 287 

was worked. The sticks were indicated by embroidery. 
Between these main blocks was a ground-work of mosaic 
worked dainiily with fancy stitches and a few wee bits 
of floral decoration. On a rather large space of the 
mosaic was worked the monogram of the owner, and be- 
low that, with a spray of forget-me-not intervening, the 
date when the work was done. The whole was edged 
with lace having the outlines of the pattern run with 
colored silk, and was handsomely lined. A good quality 
of silesia will do for a lining, though silk is much to be 
preferred. A thin layer of wadding should be placed 
between the lining and the outside and caught together 
at intervals, but anything like regular quilting should 
be avoided. 

Another beautiful piece of crazy work was a band for 
a portiere in which two or three colors were so arranged 
as to shade from dark at the ends to light in the centre. 
The ornamentation, in this case, was extremely rich, and 
gold thread, etc., was lavishly used. 

This patchwork can also be made from nice woolen 
pieces worked with crewels, and the latest attempt at it 
which I have seen was a bedside rug, made of odd bits 
of Brussels carpet, arranged smoothly on a strong- 
foundation of hemp carpeting or ticking, and the seams 
covered with worsted braid worked with crewels and 
silks. This struck me as a peculiarly happy way of 
disposing of those bits of carpeting which are so apt to 
tantalize the housekeeper in her spring cleaning. I 
dare say, too, a small sum would purchase a sufficient 
variety of remnants to make several large and handsome 
to say nothing of durable rugs. 

A few of the old homespun sheets of our grandmothers 
days, still remain as treasures in some families, A good 
use to put them to is to convert them into summer 
counterpanes, decorating them either with crewel work, 
or with floral designs in turkey red or ingrain blue calico 



288 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

appliqued on to the linen, the veins being worked in 
with black on a darker shade of the same color, as the 
calico, and the leaves and flowers connected by graceful 
lines of stem stitch. Such quilts, made in the time of 
Queen Anne, have been preserved to the present day. 

A rather unique quilt was made by a friend of mine as 
a gift to her miuister's baby. It was made of alternate 
blocks of white and colored calico, and on the white 
blocks, the letters of the alphabet, cut from red or blue 
calico were appliqucd. 

The down from many different plants can be gathered 
through the summer, and used to stuff small bags neatly 
made, which, when a number are sewed together will 
furnish a very good imitation of a clown quilt. The 
small white everlasting flower, sometimes called moon- 
shine, furnishes quite a good amount of this vegetable 
dowii. 



ODDS AND ENDS. 



In looking over my note-book, I find, as often happens 
to a liousekeeper in clearing out closets anil drawers, 
quite a number of things noted down which cannot 
easily be classified. Such "hints " I have reserved for 
this final chapter of " odds and ends," in which sugges- 
tions for botli useful and ornamental work will be found. 

CLOSET BAGS. 

Amongst the novelties brought out last winter was a 
closet bag which recommended itself by its great capa- 
bilities in the way of holding the innumerable necessary 
articles which so tend to "clutter up" closet shelves and 
floors. I give the dimensions of tlie one in my possession, 
although these might be altered to suit the space where 
the bag is to hang. 

Three and a half yards of good cretonne are needed 

together with alpaca braid of a suitable color, and a 

number of stout eyes, by wiiich the bag is fastened to 

the wall. The foundation of the bag is made of a piece 

of cretonne twenty-six inches wide and fifty -four inches 

inche^s deep. Cut out a piece of cretonne thirty and one 

half inches deep, twenty-six and one half inches wide at 

the top, and sloping on either side to a width of sixteen 

and one hall inches at the bottom. Cut the upper part 

into a deep concave scallop. Bind the top with a piece 

of braid. This piece forms two pockets for the reception 
289 



290 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

of nmbrelhis and parasols. It must be placed iu the 
middle of the lower part of the back piece, bastiug the 
middle of the pocket to the middle of the back, and lay- 
ing the lower part in a box pleat on either side of this 
seam. Stitch this middle seam firmly down, and cover 
it with a piece of braid. To make these nmbrella cases 
set well, baste the box ])leats down the length of the 
pocket and then baste the whole i)ocket smoothly on to 
the back. On either side of this middle compartment 
]>lace three pockets graduated in size as follows, remem- 
bering to lay a box ])leat in each one before putting it on 
the back. The dimensions for the pockets are as follows: 
twelve by fifteen inches for the lowest; nine and a half 
by fifteen for the middle one; and eight by twelve for 
the top one. Of course, one side mnst be slojied a little 
to accommodate the slope of the umbrella cases. Cover 
the seams between the side and central pockets Avith 
l>raid. Above these put on three pockets fourteen inches 
deep by sixteen inches wide (before the box pleat is laid), 
binding and dividing these by braid. Cut a slanting 
jdece off each upper corner, leaving room for a small 
pocket six and one-half inches in depth by eleven inches 
in width. 

Bind with braid, and sew large eyes all round the bag 
at regular distances by which it may be fastened with 
large tacks to the door or wall. 

Every one who has to pack a trunk often, knows the 
trouble of doing up shoes comfortably. A number of 
small bags or cases made of any stout material wdl be 
found a great convenience. These can be made to accom- 
modate either a single shoe or a pair, and may be in 
the form of an oblong bag with a running string, or made 
like a pocket with a flap coming over the top and but- 
toning. Of course, these can be ornamented or not at 
pleasure, but if made of stout brown drilling, and marked 
in indelible ink with the name of the shoe they are to 



A .WD HOW TO USE Til EM. 2^)1 

sontaiD, tliey will be found evou tbongli not " tliiiifi^s of 
beauty," yet "joys forever." 

The following iuf^enious way of covering' bottles may 




Fig. 134. 

be fount! useful for those extremely awkward bottles in 
which German eau de cologne is bought. 

Procure some fine but good twine and a])acking' needle 
througli which the twine can be threaded. Tie a piece 
tightly round the neck, carry it down the side, and tie it 
round the bottom of the bottle, up the opposite side, 
T'ound the neck again, and down to the bottom. Thread 
the twine and work from the bottom to the neck. Make 
a row of close buttonhole stitches over the loop at the 
bottom, to begin with, and then work rows of loose but- 
tonhole stitches round and round the bottle. Overcast 
the loops round the neck and plait a string to hang up 
by. If you have a Ciiinese ginger jar with the cane net 
wQrk which is generally over them, you will see immedi- 
ately how the foundation loops are to be put on. 

TABLE MATS. 

Very serviceable mats can be made of a kind of twine 
plait work, executed as follows : You will need for this 



292 NEEDLES AND DRi'SHES 

work a wooden fnuno about the size and sliape of the 
mat you propose making-, with rows of pegs or large pins 
inserted at the to[) and bottom. Common seine twine 
can be used, the size to be chosen to suit your taste. 
Double the string- and wind it up and down the frame in 
the pegs until it is (luite full. Now thread a small 
l)acking' needle with the twine, using it double, and 
darn in and out of the strands, over two, and under two. 
Cut the twine off at the end of each line of darning. 
When the whole is darned, brush the back well over 
with thick paste while the mat is still in the frame, 
and let it get thoroughly dry. Have ready a i)iece of 
mill board cut to the required shape and covered on one 
side with cambric or merino. Cut the plait work to lit 
the foundation, and baste the edges Hrmly to the mill 
board, binding- Avith ribbon or tape to match the lining-. 
To finish the mat plait nine strands in a three plait 
braid and sew over the binding. If the i)lait work i.«? 
heavy enough, the mill-board can be dispensed with. 
Two or more colors can be used in the work thus prodnc- 
ing a checkered pattern. Cross work ]>atterns can also 
be worked on them. 

TO TRANSFER COLORED PLATES TO GLASS. 

Very pretty transparencies can be made by carefully 
transferring good colored plates to glass, by the follow- 
ing- process: 

Lay a smooth, thin coat of Venice turpentine on the 
glass, and then talce the print and wet it on the back 
with a sponge dipped in water. Make it moist enough 
to render the picture soft, without being watery. Lay 
the picture, face downwards, on the turpentine, now 
carefully rub the paper away on the back with the fing- 
ers. If the paper dries too much before it is finished, 
it must be wetted again. When all the paper is worked 
olf, let it dry, and with a fine camel's hair brush, lay a 



AND now TO L\<E THEM 293 

coat of oil of turpentine over tlie whole. I have seen 
prints transterred to Avhite wood in the same way. In 
this case, the wood was carefully varnislied and polished 
after the design was laid on. Great care should be 
exercised in rubbins' off the pai)er at the back, as it 
is an exceeding;!! y easy matter to rub througii to the 
glass. 

tTTTLTZING PEACH BASKETS^. 

■ Very serviceable and ])retty scr;ip baskets can be made 
from peach baskets, by i)ainting them blaclc or any 
desirable color, and then ornamenting thcHi witli a band 
of embroidery, or adrajiery of crochet or niacrame fringe. 
Several coats of paint should be i)ut on to hide the 
roughness of the basket, which should be lined with a 
suitable color. A i)ocket on one side for scraps which 
suggest doubts as to the propriety, of throwing them 
away will i)rove a useful addition. 

A small peach basket similarly treated, would prove 
a convenient ornament for some sitting room manteU 
pieces, to be used as a receptacle for the various 
articles which are apt to gather there. 

Two of the larg6 peach, baskets fasteiied together at 
the 16wer end, so as to form an hour glass, and either 
painted or covered with cretonne, gathered at narrowest 
part with a band of cretonne bound with braid or else 
Avith a ribbon, makes an excellent work basket for hold- 
ing large pieces of fancy work, or it may be used as the. 
ffimily mending basket. If used for the latter, one or 
more i)Ockets should be put on the lining of the upper 
bAsket for holding pieces and the other necessary aids 
to darning and mending. A brace of inch wood iuthe 
shape of a cross put at the bottom will serve to Ipalance 
the home-made table. If wished, a cover of heavy mill- 
board covered with cretonne can be fitted, to the upper 
basket or if the table basket is painted and trimmed 



294 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

with fringe, felt or serge of the color used iu painting 
cau be employed. 

SCRAP RUGS. 

Reference has been made, in the chapter on knitting-, 
to rugs made out ofscrai)sof woolen cloth. Another 
kind can be made very easily :is follows : (Jut your 
scraps (which may be of all varieties of material only 
taking" care that woolen pieces form a large proportion) 
into inch squares. Take a piece of twine three or four 
yards long and a needle sufficiently coarse to carry the 
twine; thread your pieces of cloth on the twine as though 
they were beads. When you have a sufficient number 
threade<l, taking care to crowd thenx on the string, fasten 
your twine well into the last two or three stitches. Now 
roll the string of scraps round and round, taking long 
stitches through and through to keep it flat. When it is 
quite tirm, lay the mat on the floor or a table and pare 
away the rough edges on both sides until the rug is 
about half its original thickness. If an oblong mat is* 
preferred, it (;an be made by making a numl>er of strings 
of pieces, as long as the desired width of the rug, sew- 
ing these strii)S firmly together. A border can be 
arranged without much trouble. It is worth while to try 
a little yellow or orange colored flannel to mix with the 
other scraps, because it adds so greatly to the eftect. 
The j)atent dyes can be used for old white flannel. Some 
white is also an improvement, time turning it down to a 
harmonious gray. 

1 have seen very handsome rugs made of pieces of 
woolen cloth cut to a uniform size and then sewed on to 
a ticking foundation. In some, quite elaborate designs 
had been attempted but the prettiest were those which 
were made with a centre of mixed colors and a border of 
black. In many pla<;es, materials for these rugs can b© 
olitained at a very moderate cost, at a tailor's shop. 



ANB BOW TO USE THEM. . 295. 

Mr. Howell in " The Lady of tlie Aroostook " in 
describing- the Captain's state-room alludes to still 
another kind of rug- work called " hooking." The 
materials for this work are sold in some cities under the 
name of materials for " Home-made Turkish Rugs." At 
these places quite elaborate patterns can be obtained 
ready stami)ed for working. A piece of coarse burlaps 
or coflfee bagging, a very large stout hook like a crochet 
hook, and a good assortment of rags are all that is nec-^ 
essary for this work. Cut the rags very much as you do 
for rag carpeting. I have found it convenient to sew, 
mine into long strips, varying the color frequently. 

Stretch your bnrlai)s in a frame, just a little larger 
than the rug will be. Wind this frame with list and 
fasten the burlaps firmly in. Define tiie outer and inner 
edges of the border with a thread of coarse or darning 
cotton or a charcoal line. Holding your i^iece of clotli 
under the frame, put your hook through the burlaps 
from the right side and draw a loop through to a length 
of about three-fourths of an inch; repeat this every 
three or four threads, according to the width and quality 
of your piece,^. AYhen you have worked quite a space, 
shear it off evenly with large scissors. This is done 
much more easily as the work progresses than if you 
wait till the whole is done. A little practice soon 
teaches you how far apart to put your work in. Wlien 
geometrical patterns are stamped on the burlaj^s, very 
excellent imitations of Turkey rugs can be made. Tlie.se 
patterns can be bought at quite low prices. 

In Fig. 135, a very i)retty style of needlework is used 
for>ornamenting a pillow case cover. The design must 
be enlarged and transferred to the material, and the 
work is executed in buttonhole stitch with white embroid- 
ery cotton, after which the linen between the design fig- 
ures is cut away. Bureau and table scarfs can be 
ornamented in the same wav. 



2% NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

A remarkable pretty little basket came under ray 
notice the other day, and the maker very kindly gave me 
directions for making it. The foundation consisted of a 




Fig. 135 

elliptical piece of cork covered on the one side witli 
some inexpensive material, on the other with liglit 
blue satin ou which a spray of apple blossoms was 
painted. Into the upper side of this piece of cork, pins 
(rather large ones) were stuck at regular intervals, "and 
])ut in so as to flare a little. Shaded silks were then 
woven in and out of these pins in such a way as to leave 
alternate oi)en spaces between the pins. Then the bas- 
ket was turned ui)side down, and pins stuck in and 
wound iu the same way for a staudai'd. The handle was 
made of a i>iece of whalebone covered with n.'irrow rib- 
bon in two colors. Much of the beauty in such a basket 
Avonld depend on the colors employed and the perfect 
accuracv and neatness of the work. 



Ayj) now TO uss them. 297- 

TD :iIAKE PICTURES OF UIRDS WITH THEIR NATURAL 
FEATHERS. 

- The- followiug (lircctioiis arc taken from the '''' JFhniily 
7'Vwtto?,-" an English journal devoting- mucli space to 
"'fancy work. " 

•First-take a tliin board oi- ])anel of deal or wainscot, 
well seasoned, that it may not shrink; then smoothly 
paste on it white paper, and let it dry, and if the wood 
casts^ifes color through, paste on it another paper till 
perfeclly white; let it stand till quite dry, and then get 
any bird you would lepresent, and draw its figure as 
exactly as possible on the papered i)anel (middle-sized 
birds are the best for the purpose); tlieu ])aint what tree 
or ground-worlc you intend to set ywir bird upon, also its 
bill- and legs, leavijjg tlie rest of the body to be covered 
with its own feathers. You must next prepare that part 
to be feathered by laying on thick gum arable, dissolved 
in water;, lay it on with a large camel's hair peucil, and 
let it dry; lay on successivecoats, drying each one Until 
yoji have a good body on the paper as thick, at least, as 
a twenty-five cent jdece; let it dr,y quite hard. 

Take the feathers .off the bird as you use i\\Qm, begin- 
uing at:the tail and poiutiS of the wings, and working 
upwards to the head, observing to cover each part of 
yqur draught with the. feathers taken from the same part 
of the birdj.letting them fall over one another in tire 
natural. order. You must prepare your feathers hy cut- 
ting off tne downy parts that are about their stems, and 
the large feathers must have the insides of their shafts 
shaved off with a sharp knife, to make tliem lie flat; the 
quills-of the Avings must have their inner webs clipixed. 
off, so that iu laying them the gum inay hold them by th<iir 
shafts; When yon begin to lay them, take a pair of steel 
pliers to Tiold the feathers in, and have some gum-water, 
not too thin, and a large camel's hair pencil ready to 



298 NEEDLES AHiJJ B HUSHES 

moisten the grouud-work by little ami little as you work 
it; tlieu lay your feathers ou the moisteued parts, which 
must not be wateiisli, but only clammyy to hold the 
feathers. You must have jjiepared a great many sugar- 
loaf-shaped leaden weights, which you may form by cast- 
tin "• the lead into sand, in which slia])es or moulds for it 
have been made by means of a pointed stick jjrodded all 
over the surface, leaving small holes to receive the 
melted lead. These weights will be necessary to set ou 
the feathers when you have merely laid them on, in order 
to press them into the gum till they are fixed; but you 
must be cautious lest the gum comes through the feath- 
ers, for it would not only smear them, but would stick to 
the bottoms of the little weights; and in taking them off 
you would bring the feathers also, which would quite 
disarrange your work; be cautious, therefore, not to 
have your coat of gum too moist or wet. When yow 
have wholly covered your bird with its feathers, you 
must, with a little thick gum, stick on a piece of paper, 
cut round, of the size of an eye, which you must color to 
resemble the eye of a bird if you cannot jirocure a glasa 
one of the kind; and when the whole is dry, you must 
dress the feathers all round the outline (such as may 
have chanced to start), and rectify all defects in every 
other part; then lay on it a sheet of clean paper, and a 
heavy weight, such as a book, to i)ress it; after which 
it may be preserved in a glass-frame, such. as are used 
for pieces of shell-work, etc. 

A WALL BASKET. 

A very convenient wall pocket can be made from a 
good sized Japanese fan, cretonne and ribbon. Cover 
t)he fan with cretonne and put on a pocket of the same. 
Trim with pleated ribbon and a bow on tlie handle. Cov- 
ered with quilted silk, or satin on which a floral design 
is worked or painted, makes a very handsome aftair. 



AND HO W TO UtiE TlIEyi. 299 

HOME-MADE PICTURE FRAME. 

It is sometimes desirable to frame pictures at liome. 
Here are a lew directions as to doing it. 

If the margin of your engraving oi- picture is not per- 
fectly clean make a " mat " out of tijited drawing ]>;iper. 
To do tills cut your paper the size of tlie picture and cut 
iu it an oval or square through which tlie picture may be 
seen, it will be necessary to draw the outline for this 
very carefully, mailing very accurate measurements, so 
that the margin will be symmetrical. If you wish to draw 
an oval and have no mathematical instruments, place 
a string over two pins firmly placed as foci of the ellipse. 
The string should be a little longer than the distance 
between the pins. Move a pencil round just inside the 
string and the result will be an ellipse of the required 
form. About half an inch outside of this draw a second 
oval, and with a sharp knife cut it half through the card- 
board. These two ovals must be very sharply and neatly 
cut. The cardboard should be bent inward at this cut. 
Take a thick piece of cardboard and cut in it a hole just 
a little larger than the one in the " mat," and paste the 
latter on, laying the whole over the picture. Put the 
glass in its place on the top of the mat and it to the 
frame by strips of leather paper or even by very nice 
strips of brown wrapping paper making an even rim 
round the margin of the picture, and pasting enough 
over the back to hold it firmly in place. Paste a sheet of 
stout brown paper over the back, inserting a piece of 
tape holding a small ring at the top of the frame, parting 
it firmly to the pasteboord. 

You can vary this frame by rolling up some very stout 
brown paper and press it out flat till it is an inch or two 
wide. Glue it into shape and cover with tinfoil glued 
on. Then fit it to the glass, slanting the corners so that 
they will fit neatly. A little narrow margin of red or blue 



300 NEliULES AND BllUtiUES 

velvet glued under the iuuei- side of the fiame makes a 
pretty tiuisli. . Now glue the whole frume ou to the pic- 

t^^^^- MIX, 

If you liave any old woodeu traiues you cau guild them 
follows : Put some boiled liuseed oil iu a saucer aud 
expose it to the air for a few days. TLeu mix with some 
vellow ochre, grouud iu oil. This is oil gold size, which 
if you choose you cau buy ready mixed. Give the frame 
ii coat of white paint and three days after another. Wheu 
quite dry, rub down smooth with the finest quality of 
glass paper. Then put on a coat of gold size and let 
it stand for twenty-four hours, when it will be ready for 
the gold leaf. To put this on, take a piece of tissue 
l)aper two inches square and rub one side lightly with 
wax. Get a straight edged knife and cut the pieces 
just the width of the frame. Put the waxed side of the 
tissue-paper on the gold leaf, lift it up, and lay it ou the 
frame; rub lightly on the i)aper with the finger, and the 
gold Mill adhere to the frame. Let ench piece lap over 
the previous one about an eighth of an inch, so that the 
joinings may not show. Wheii the frame is covered, put 
over, it with cotton-wool. Set it away for a few hours, 
then brush olf the sui)erflnous gold, and your frame is 
done.. 

.. : A FLOWER POT COVER . 

Goll-eet during the season large bnnclies of wheat, 
barlej', or other heads of grass or ieeds. Cut out the 
form of the flower pot in stilf card-board or paste-board. 
•Cover this neatly with rows of grass or wheat arranged 
as closely as possible, tacking them closely around the 
bottom and expanding them around the top so that they 
will be eqidistant from each other. Then commencing 
at the bottom, ])roceed to interweave half inch scarlet or 
other cx)lored ribbon iu and out of the stalks, until the 
Leads (extending above the top) are reached, when the 



AND 110 W TO USE TllEM. 



^301 



end mu.st be securely fastened off and hidden wich a 
rosette or bow. Wlien tlius woven, cut tbe stitches top 
and bottom and remove the paste-board foundation. 

A mat can be formed by cutting out a circnlar piece of 
paste - board as much larger than the bottom as the 
length of the heads to be used. Cover this with cambric 
of a color suited to the ribbon, aiid fasten the heads of 
grain aronndit so that they touch each other around the 
circle into which the pot tits, spreading like rays to the 
outer edge. 

Such a cover makes a pot of flowers a beautiful orna- 
ment for the dining table. A pot of ferns ivs especially 
desirable for such a use. 

WORK-BASKET WITH EMBROIDERED DRAPE. 




Fig. 136. 

' The basket is of fancy wicker, the drape is of ruby 
plush, with the foliage design shown in Fig. 137, embroi- 
dered in outline stitch with green silk. It is edged with 
the trimming shown in Fig. 138, which is YoTietian 



302 NEEDLES AND BRUSHES 

euobroidery worked in ruby silk. The dark portions of 




the desijiu nre covered with knot stitches in rnby silk, 




FiR. i:58. 



a:^d how to use them. 



ao3 



■wlii<ib is also used in working the twisted bars; the satin 
stitch is worked witli old gold silk. When the work is 
-finished, the silk is cut away between the twisted bars 
with sharp scissors. Tlie edge of the deep scallop should 
be worked in fine buttonhole stitch with old gold. Bv 
reference to Fig. iS^o. 136 it will be seen that the single 
scallop is repeated a sufficient number of times to edge 
the drapery. The basket is lined with ruby silk drawn 
up to form a bag; it is drawn together by silk cord and 
tassels. Tlie lignre shows wool tufs fastened at the sides 
but bows of satin ribbon of the colors employed in work- 
ing would be in better taste. . The handle may be 
covered with a strip of ruby satin worked with herring- 
bone stitch in old gold. 

A HOME-MADE GYPSY TABLE. 




Fig. 139. 



304 J^EEDLES AJSU BR USEES 

Oiie of these couveiiieut little tables cau be easily made 
from '-^ broomsticks aud the top of a flour barrel or but- 
ter tub. Cross the broomsticks iu the middle, iiud nail 
them securely in place. Cut the ends off so that they 
will staud flat ou the floor. Kail the cover of a butter 
tub oil the top of the tripod. A square top or one in the 
shape of a trefoil, can be used in place of a round one. 
Iu cutting: off the euds of the broomsticks, jou must see 
that you shorteu them about equally above aud below 
the crossiuo-, leaving- your stand rather below the 
ordinary table height. Tu the model plush is used for 
covering- the top and legs of the table, and crocheted 
lace is used for a draping. But the covering and drapery 
can be varied to suit the taste of the maker. The legs 
can be ebonized as directed on page 83, in the chapter 
on Avood carving; if liked a little gilding can be put on 
in rings. 



AUG 6 1901 



-^ 



F GRESS 




OOUOCo 559 5 



